Under Mirangu Branches
by Leiyoi
Summary: [AU] The Merry Post Office. A place where people, young or old, write and send letters to other people. But, there is a catch! No one knows who they are writing to. What happens when two writers try to meet each other? ZoLu.
1. Crossroads

**Disclaimer for all chapters:** I do not own One Piece or its characters.

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**Under Mirangu Branches**

written by: Leiyoi

_Adapted from the movie You've got Mail._

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**- 1 -**

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_Dear Straw Hat,_

_I have a dog named Chopper. I picked him off of the streets because he was being bullied by a group of dogs. We quickly became friends and now, every morning, he wakes me up by jumping on my bed with a loud bark. I guess it's almost a routine now. Sometimes I fall asleep in a corner of the room but Chopper knows when I need to get up for work and comes to get me. He's a strange dog. I find him flipping through the medical books on the bottom shelves every now and then (and I admit that I am putting more there ever since I learned of his unique hobbies). He has a blue nose, too. You'd like to meet him. Write soon._

_Sincerely,_

_Santoryu_

_PS. I was just about to send this to you when I realized that I'll be moving to your place soon. You told me that you lived in Raftel, right? I'll probably be there around 5 in the afternoon on the 25th. Did I surprise you? I'm looking forward to your next letter._

A young black haired boy smiled at the piece of paper in his hands, reading over the last few lines again. _He's coming here?! On the 25th? That's today!_ The boy thought happily, his eyes shining in anticipation. He held the paper and smiled fondly, remembering all the letters he and Santoryu had exchanged for the past few weeks. They had become quick friends and he found himself waiting every week for Santoryu's letters. His heart would quicken in suspense every time he opened his door to a white envelope lying comfortably on the ground and he would open the letter as soon as possible. Now that Santoryu was coming to Raftel, they would be able to meet! The black haired boy's eyes sparkled in delight and he read the letter again to himself. _I would like to meet Chopper_...

"Oi, Luffy!" A voice called from outside of the boy's room. "Breakfast's ready, idiot. How many times do you want me to repeat it?"

"Sorry, Sanji! I'll be coming out soon. Mail just came in!" Luffy yelled back, a wide grin spreading across his face. He quickly slid the piece of paper under his pillow and leapt out the door to pounce on the blonde haired man standing a few meters away.

"Woah! Dammit, Luffy!" Sanji shouted angrily, trying to shove the boy off and balance the plates in his arms at the same time. "Get off of me! Your breakfast is about to fall!"

The black haired boy gasped and leapt off the blonde quicker than lightning, nervously holding out his hands to catch at any food that might happen to fall accidentally. Sanji chuckled and set the plates down on a table nearby.

"So, why are you so jumpy today?" The blonde smirked and watched as the boy quickly hopped into a chair, trying to wolf down the food at the same time.

"Santoryu's moving here!" Luffy shouted and the chewed food in his mouth was almost spit out in a flurry.

"What did I say about swallowing, idiot?" Sanji glared and watched as the boy gulped down the food before grinning sheepishly at him. The blonde haired man nodded in approval. "That's better. So, you're still staying in touch with that guy, eh? I didn't think you'd take Robin-chan's suggestion so seriously."

"Well, she did say that if I signed up at the Merry Post Office, I'd have a lot of fun!" The boy stuffed some eggs into his mouth and swallowed it whole. "And she was right! Sanji should try, too!" And then he dove right into the pancakes on another plate.

The blonde haired man shrugged and straightened his suit. "Not interested."

Luffy pouted with a few crumbs of pancake leftover on the edge of his lips. "Aww... but it's fun!" He passed the empty plates to the blonde and grinned. "I'm done!"

"Whatever..." Sanji shook his head and took the plates, starting to stroll towards the kitchen sink. "Dojo's opening in an hour. You should get ready."

"Right!" Luffy grinned and ran back into his room to get ready for another day in his dojo. The boy changed into a set of comfortable clothes and tapped the straw hat lying on the small table next to his bed. "Yosh! Let's go teaching! Oh, but first..." Luffy twisted around and pulled out a piece of paper, an envelope, and a pen. After a few minutes of scribbling, the boy smiled at the paper and folded it carefully before stuffing it into the envelope. With a dab of his pen, he finished the front of the envelope with a 'To: Santoryu.' and the boy leapt out of his seat to mail his letter.

* * *

"Zoro! Are you ready yet?" A woman's voice chimed from a few rooms away.

"Nn..." A green haired man grunted as something warm licked his cheek. He opened his eyes slowly and patted the brown dog standing in front of him. "Hey, Chopper. Is it time to go?"

The blue nose on the dog twitched slightly and he seemed to smile. That was a good enough answer for Zoro.

"Nami's probably getting all angry now." The green haired man groaned and stretched his back to get rid of the stiffness from napping in another corner of the house. Zoro felt Chopper nudge him and he heard a rustle of paper. An envelope was sitting in his lap and a small grin started spreading across his face. He ruffled Chopper's ears gratefully. "Good boy."

Zoro stared at the letter in his lap, remembering the first time he had been forced into signing up for this program.

_Nami put a hand on her hip. "Zoro, you should go to the Merry Post Office and sign up for this program. I just tried it last week and it's very interesting."_

"_Merry Post Office?" He raised an eyebrow at the orange haired woman from his seat on the floor. "What the hell is that?"_

"_It's an organization that connects people from all over the world! They randomly pick a person for us and we start writing letters to each other. You should try it out. You'll make a new friend."_

"_No, thank you."_

"_It'll help you pass time! And there are interesting rules to this. We write to each other in nicknames and we don't share any specific information, like our jobs or our addresses_..._"_

"_Sounds irritating."_

"_Zoro! Just sign up! It'll get your mind moving and you won't be training all the time."_

"_I like my training!" The green haired man sat up defiantly, a scowl crossing his face._

_Nami frowned at him and put both hands on her hips, leaning forward with a threatening look in her eyes, "If you don't sign up, I'm going to start charging you 1000 keri for each hour you spend training!" The orange haired woman's frown slid into a sly grin. "Besides, you're already paying the last week's program that I subscribed to. It'll be cheaper for you if you join the program with me now."_

"_WHAT?!"_

Zoro plucked the letter from his lap and flipped it around, smiling as he found the familiar scrawl of 'To: Santoryu' on the front of it. He hadn't had a good friend to talk with since elementary school... In a way, he was thankful that Nami had forced him into signing up for the program. But, he would never tell her that. The green haired man was about to open the envelope and read its contents before an angry shout from the front door echoed through the empty wooden house.

"ZORO! The ship is leaving in an hour! Get your ass here, now!"

"I'm coming, dammit." Zoro stood up and pulled on a black coat. Then, he strapped three swords to his side and picked up a green bag on the floor, flinging it carelessly over his shoulder. Chopper followed after him eagerly and rushed past an orange haired woman standing at the front door with an enormous orange bag at her feet. Zoro raised an eyebrow at her. "You're bringing all of that? Why didn't you just give it to the moving company? It'd be a lot easier to carry."

"Of course not. I don't trust those people. And besides," She smiled sweetly at him. "You'll be carrying it for me, right?"

Zoro shrugged. After being engaged to this woman for nearly a month, the man started to understand that arguing against her would be pointless and it would be to his advantage if he just did what she told him to do. Why he was still engaged to her was a mystery to him. She was so annoying sometimes... He sighed and tucked the letter in his hands into his coat pocket before hauling the heavy bag up. It was a little difficult to hold up... He stared at the bag and then at the woman smiling at him, "What the hell did you put in here, Nami?"

"Things that we'll need when we reach our new home."

The green haired man raised an eyebrow and shrugged before walking out the front door, carrying the bags to where Chopper was waiting in excitement, his tail wagging at the speed of light. The blue nosed dog sat inside a black carriage, barking at the horses waiting patiently at the front.

"Put it in the carriage, Zoro. And be careful!" Nami shouted. The green haired man grunted in response and set the large orange bag down before throwing his own green bag in without another thought.

"Right, let's go." He jumped into the front seat, ready to take up the reins on the horses. But Nami climbed on and quickly snatched away the rope.

"I drive." She smirked at the man, giving him a knowing look. Zoro frowned and turned to stare at the road.

"Yeah yeah, I'll get us lost. Let's just go to the docks already. It's half an hour away and we have about an hour left to get there."

"I'm glad to see that you're actually paying attention to the time for once." Nami laughed before snapping the reins once to get the horses trotting. Zoro scowled and decided to ignore her comment, opting to focus on the paper rustling in his pocket. His mood immediately lightened and he smiled inwardly. _I wonder what Straw Hat will write this time?_

The evenly spaced trees on the side of the road passed by steadily and the shadows of the branches waved gently in the wind. Gradually, the green haired man was lulled to a calming sleep by the rhythmic sound of the horseshoes hitting the ground and the comforting rustle of paper in his coat pocket.

* * *

Monkey D. Luffy laughed happily, running through the streets decorated with red paper lamps and blossoming orange colored trees. "Santoryu is coming to town!" The boy jumped high in the air, waving his letter above his head around in circles. People passing by on the street chuckled at the boy and waved at him in return. It was a normal occurrence for the black haired boy to be running down the streets and shouting random sentences in joy. Almost as normal as having the sun coming up every morning.

The carefree boy skidded to a stop in front of a small white building with 'Merry Post Office' carved onto the front of the building delicately. A smiling ram's head decorated the tip of the roof, welcoming people passing by. The boy pushed open the wooden doors of the white building and skipped inside. He stopped for a moment to observe the hall that never ceased to awe him. Neatly polished wooden boards lay in the ground and small patterns of smooth shell were lined along the walls, creating a warm atmosphere. A few wooden booths stood on both sides of the room with small chandeliers hanging high above them.

Luffy hopped over to one of the booths and handed his letter to a red haired lady sitting behind it. "I want you to send this to Santoryu for me." The boy grinned widely.

"All right, hold on a moment and I'll give you notification that your letter has been sent." The red haired lady smiled and gently pulled the letter away from his hands and stuck it into a small slot in the side of the wall. After a few seconds, a small _ding!_ came from behind the wall and the lady turned back to smile at Luffy. "It's done, sir."

"Thanks, red haired lady!" The young boy waved at her and ran back out the doors of the white building. He glanced at a large white tower in the distance, bearing a large clock on each of its sides. "Ah shoot, I'll be late! I should head back to the dojo soon..." And with that the boy raced down the street he had come from.

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Sanji tapped his foot impatiently against the smooth floor of the dojo. "Damn that Luffy. He's late again. Why the hell did I agree to living with this guy?" The blonde haired man grumbled to himself, crossing his arms over his chest in irritation. He finally spotted the boy speeding around the corner.

"Saaaaaanjiiiii!" Luffy screamed in glee, aiming to jump on the blonde haired man again. "I'm not late!" Sanji stepped to the side before Luffy could tackle him down. The boy's momentum sent him crashing into the room behind the blonde.

"Start class, idiot!" Sanji quickly slid the door of the room shut and then strolled off to cook lunch for Luffy and all the hungry students who would come by later in the day. He shook his head and rolled up his sleeves. _It just goes to show how much I like the kid, huh?_ The blonde haired man sighed and opened the large refrigerator in the kitchen.

* * *

Luffy pulled his head out of the wall he had crashed into and turned around to face the curious eyes upon him. He grinned and waved at the students in the room.

"Good morning, class!"

"Good morning, sensei." A chorus of voices chimed through the room and one of the students raised an arm above his head.

"Ah? What is it, Kohza?"

"Sensei, why are you always stumbling in and crashing into the wall?" A boy with dark blonde hair questioned, frowning slightly. A blue haired girl elbowed him in the side. He flinched and turned to glare at the girl, while rubbing at the spot she had elbowed him.

"Eh..." Luffy's eyebrows furrowed in thought. Then, his face seemed to light up and he grinned. "It's a mystery!" The students laughed and smiled at the black haired boy. Kohza merely shook his head in disbelief. Luffy pointed at his students. "Anyway, let's start class. Everyone, get into first stance!"

"Hai!" And then the students scrambled around the room before reordering themselves into two neat lines.

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A dark haired woman casually walked into the kitchen of the dojo. Sanji turned his head to look at the new presence in the room.

"Ah, Robin-chwan! How are you today?" The blonde haired man smiled and hurriedly made a refreshing drink for the woman. Robin smiled serenely at him and sat down in a chair, putting one elbow down on the table and leaning her cheek against it gently.

"I'm fine, thank you for asking. How are you and Luffy?"

Sanji set a glass filled with a sky blue mixture on the table. "Please enjoy. We're fine. Or at least as fine as you can be after living with Luffy for nearly a year..." He smirked.

"Have you started working on the decorations for the festival yet?" Robin glanced in the direction of the room where Luffy taught his classes before gratefully accepting the drink and taking a small sip. She smiled at the taste. A little minty and not too sweet.

"I _tried_ to think of something new to do for this year's festival..." The blonde haired man frowned in the direction Robin was looking in. "And that idiot's no help at all. If it weren't for me, he'd forget all about it." He turned to give a sarcastic smile to the dark haired woman sitting at the table. "It's all because you made him start that program at the Merry Post Office. Now he's practically obsessed with the Santoryu guy he's been writing to. I swear if I hear Santoryu come from that idiot's mouth again, I'm probably going to start tearing up all of those letters."

"Jealous?" Robin chuckled when she earned a frown from the blonde haired man and she sipped her drink again. "Why don't you try it? It's quite interesting."

"It sounds annoying." The blonde scowled before giving the dark haired woman an apologetic look. "I'm sorry if I've offended you."

"No offense taken." Robin smiled gently. "Everyone is entitled to their own opinions." They both shared a small smile before a rumble of footsteps came from outside the kitchen. Suddenly, the door of the room burst open, revealing Luffy and his students standing at the doorway eagerly.

"MEAT!" The boy pointed a finger at Sanji before running off to the dining room.

"MEAT!" The students chorused together and pointed at Sanji as well before storming out the door and settling in the dining room with Luffy.

The man's eye twitched in annoyance. He was being treated disrespectfully not only by Luffy but also by a horde of students! "Dammit, don't order me around, shitty kids." Sanji grumbled and stomped off to balance the meals in his hands and serve them to the hungry people outside. Robin smiled in amusement and sipped on her drink peacefully.

* * *

"Zoro, get up!"

The green haired man mumbled in his sleep and shifted away from the voice.

"Zoro, you idiot! Wake up!"

The man grumbled and his eye twitched but he didn't lift one eyelid.

"ZORO! WAKE UP YOU IDIOT!" A loud slap rang through the air like a clap of thunder.

Zoro sat up and blinked wearily around him. Somehow he had ended up on the dirt road and his cheek was stinging. He stood up and patted his pants of the dirt that had clung on. Then, he stared at the fuming Nami standing beside the carriage with two hands planted firmly on her hips and glanced at Chopper who was already waiting eagerly on the docks. "Oh? Is it morning already?"

Nami's arms dropped to her sides in surprise and her mouth opened and closed a few times in shock. She turned to look at the ship bobbing in the harbor before clenching her fists and sending a ferocious glare—which would've sent any normal person to instant death—in the green haired man's direction. "It's time to get on the ship, Zoro! How can you not notice these things?!"

He shrugged and plucked the bags off of the carriage. _What can I say? I'm an impulsive man sometimes... Things just slip from my mouth._ He thought to himself but didn't answer her question. "Ok, let's go to the ship."

"Here, follow me." Nami sighed, rubbing her temples. The couple and their dog walked into the ship casually and the orange haired woman led them to the seats that were reserved for passengers who paid more than the normal fee. She started to speak again. "Zoro, we're supposed to meet Usopp here. He's the one who designed the dojo for us."

"The one where I'm going to start working at when we reach Raftel?"

"Yeah, Usopp contacted me and he said he would be waiting on the ship here, in the VIP section..."

"What does he look like?"

"He said that he would be the most handsome man in the seating area..."

"So, basically we're looking for a liar." Zoro nodded matter-of-factly. Nami nodded in the same way.

"Exactly."

The couple scanned the room for any people who looked remotely like a liar. Zoro stepped over to a man wearing a tall black hat and tapped his shoulder.

"Oi, are you Usopp?" The green haired man raised an eyebrow at him in question.

"N-no! I don't know anyone named Usopp!" The man stared at the three swords strapped to Zoro's side nervously.

Nami pulled her fiancé away. "Don't scare people!" She reprimanded him and he frowned.

"I didn't do anything."

"Let's just search the whole ship. If he's a liar then maybe he's not in this seating area. I'll check over here. You go to the back. And don't get lost!"

Zoro scowled and walked back down the aisle of the ship, carrying his and Nami's bags. Chopper followed after him, wagging his tail in excitement, sniffing curiously at every corner of the ship. The green haired man stepped into another room where the usual seats for non-VIP passengers sat.

He shifted the bags in his hands and raised a hand to holler at the large section of seats full of people. "Is there a Usopp in here?" The blue nosed dog hid behind him in silence, watching the people tentatively. "The one who designed that dojo for us in Raftel?" Zoro stared at the people looking at him in surprise and fright. He raised an eyebrow at them and scanned the room closely. A boy with dark, curly hair sat nearby the window, trembles of fear shaking up and down his body. _That must be him... _Zoro assured himself and walked over to the boy with Chopper following closely behind.

"Oi, you're Usopp right?" The green haired observed a sharp shiver travel up the boy's spine and sweat started to pour from the boy's head. The boy shakily turned his head to look at Zoro and gave him a nervous smile.

"N-no... I'm not Usopp... I don't know anyone named Usopp! Do you think I would know an Usopp?"

"Ok... Nami! I found him!" The man hollered again so that his fiancé could hear him. A few passengers turned to give him a disapproving look which he shook off easily. The orange haired girl immediately appeared in the doorway and smiled at the boy shaking in his seat.

"Good job, Zoro." She patted him on the shoulder. "Now just put away those bags and sleep or something. I'll take care of the business."

The green haired man shrugged and slid the bags onto a seat behind Usopp and Nami. _Better not to question what she does..._ Zoro thought idly and sat down heavily in the seat. Chopper jumped up on another seat beside him and laid his head on Zoro's lap. The green haired man smiled and scratched the blue nosed dog's ears roughly before sticking a hand into his coat pocket and pulling out the envelope he had hid away. Opening the letter gently, he scanned over the writing and smiled, re-reading the scrawl, imagining what Raftel would look like now.

_Dear Santoryu,_

_Although sometimes it might seem like I've forgotten about what is going on in Raftel, I don't actually forget. Right now, everyone is putting up red lanterns all over the streets and the trees are blooming. There are orange petals falling everywhere! What I mean to say is that there is a festival coming up in town. We call it the Grand Line Festival and every year, we have a line of games starting from one side of the town stretching all the way to the other side and back. Sometimes, as I walk up and down this line with my friends, I feel like I am entering new worlds. As if every game booth along the Grand Line Festival is a journey to take with new adventures along the way. And who better to take with than your friends? Tackling the challenges blocking our path to the end of the journey together! Wouldn't it be awesome if you could come join us one day? Write back soon!_

_Sincerely,_

_Straw Hat_

He tucked the letter back into the envelope and hid it away in his coat pocket again, returning to patting Chopper on the head. _It would be nice if I could join you for the festival, Straw Hat. _And then they could meet each other. Zoro smiled at that thought and stared out the window, watching the waves lap against the ship calmly, rocking it in a peaceful rhythm. Chopper's eyes drooped shut and soon, to the murmur of passengers and the song of the sea, Zoro fell asleep.

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"Class dismissed!" Luffy clapped his hands together and opened the door for the students to leave. "Great job everyone! Practice over a few of those movements when you have spare time, okay guys?"

"Bye sensei!"

"See you, Luffy!"

"Thank you, sensei."

Luffy grinned and waved at the students happily. "See you tomorrow!" He watched as the last two students, a blue haired girl named Vivi and the dark blonde, Kohza, left the room together, shoving at each other playfully. Luffy smiled and walked out the door, sliding it shut behind him. He stared out into the courtyard of the dojo and noticed the tall white tower in the distance. The clock read 4:30. The black haired boy gasped and raced into the kitchen.

"Sanji! I'm going to the harbor!" Luffy jumped from foot to foot anxiously and noticed Robin sitting at the table. "Oh, hi Robin! Do you guys want to come?"

Sanji stood up and picked up his mug and Robin's empty glass, bringing them to the sink. "The harbor? What for?"

"Santoryu's coming!" Luffy grinned widely, still jumping from foot to foot eagerly. Robin chuckled and glanced at the blonde haired chef who twitched at the nickname Luffy had just announced.

"Yeah, sure, Luffy. I'm coming. Just give me a second to wash these up." Sanji replied lazily, deciding that it would be easier to just let his feeling of irritation ebb away on its own.

"I'll come, too." Robin stood up gracefully and smiled. The black haired boy nodded quickly and sprinted down the hall towards his room. Luffy sped into his room and grabbed his straw hat. Then, after ramming it onto his head, he ran out again to meet his two friends standing at the front door, across the courtyard, waiting for him.

"Yosh! Let's go!" He yelled and jumped out the front door. It was almost time! He would see Santoryu in only a few more minutes. Just a little longer!

* * *

Roronoa Zoro woke up with a start and opened his eyes lazily. He looked out the window and found an island bobbing closer and closer with each wave that crashed into the ship. He could feel his heart beat faster as the harbor of the orange island came in sight. Chopper lifted his head up and peeked out the window, barking at the island excitedly. Nami was sleeping peacefully in the seat in front of Zoro and the green haired man shook her shoulder gently.

"Nami, get up. We're close to the island." He got a mumble in response. Zoro stared at her for a moment before glancing over at the man sitting in the seat next to her. A curly haired boy with an extremely long nose sat there, sleeping. _Usopp, was it?_ The green haired man thought, eyeing the long nose in curiosity. How could a person grow such a long nose? Suddenly, a horn blasted from the front of the ship and all the sleeping passengers, along with Nami and Usopp, woke up in surprise.

"All passengers please remain seated. We are arriving at Raftel." A voice called from the speaker stuck to the ceiling. Zoro grinned and stared at the orange island. _Straw Hat lives there._

* * *

Luffy skidded to a stop at the harbor, watching, over the heads of other people, the sailors pull the ship smoothly into the harbor. He looked over his shoulder at Sanji and Robin who were still running to catch up to him. The boy wearing a straw hat grinned and waved at them.

"Oi! The ship is coming in!"

"Why can't you just wait for a moment for us to catch up, you idiot?!" Sanji shouted angrily at the boy. Luffy merely smiled and watched the ship pull in. A gust of wind blew through and the boy put a hand on his hat to keep it from flying off.

Zoro peered out the window and surveyed the crowd standing in the harbor. _There's a lot of people_..._ is it vacation for everyone?_ He glanced at the passengers aboard who were chattering excitedly to each other. The green haired man stared out at the crowd again and noticed a straw hat at the back of the crowd. Zoro felt his heart jump wildly in his chest. _Is it Straw Hat?_ He blinked his eyes once and then suddenly, the straw hat had disappeared in the crowd. The green haired man frowned and scanned the massive crowd again, searching for the elusive straw hat.Questions shot through the man's mind as he scanned the people standing in the harbor. What would Straw Hat look like? Would Straw Hat take one look at him and then run off because he looked too scary or weird with green hair? Would they still be friends after they met? Zoro ignored his thoughts, which were quickly turning pessimistic, and stared hard at the crowd, as if his stare would bring out the straw hat from the mass of people.

"What the hell? Where did it go?" He mumbled irritably, scratching his short green hair.

"Zoro? What are you doing by the window? It's time to get off. Get the bags." Nami's voice rang from behind him and he tore his eyes from the window in frustration, picking up the two bags and adjusting his three swords by his side. _Maybe he'll see them and find me._ The green haired man shrugged internally and followed Chopper out of the ship. Nami and Usopp followed behind them quickly.

"Oof!" Luffy fell to the ground again as another person went by, pushing the boy to the ground. "What? What's happening?" The black haired boy stood up and brushed off his pants, trying to peer over the tall people standing in front of him. Sanji grabbed Luffy's arm and pulled him towards an area with shorter people.

"I'll help you look for him." Sanji gave the boy a small smile and watched the horde of people coming out of the ship. Robin came to stand next to Luffy and smiled at the people coming from the ship, helping the boy look for Santoryu. She glanced at the boy again and frowned, noticing something missing from him.

"Luffy...where did your straw hat go?" Robin blinked. Sanji turned to stare at Luffy and the boy's hand immediately shot to his head.

"AH! Hat!" He cried in despair, searching all over the floor for his straw hat. Sanji shook his head in exasperation and glanced around the crowd. He spotted a yellow hat floating off a few meters from where they stood.

"Hey, I think your hat is over there." He tapped Luffy's shoulder and pointed at the sky. Luffy's jaw dropped. But, he quickly recovered and ran after the flying straw hat anxiously.

The green haired man stepped out of the ship and noticed the straw hat he had been looking for float over his head and out into the town. Zoro nearly dropped his bags in surprise and watched the straw hat fly by and land somewhere in the crowd of people.

"Zoro, keep moving! Your bags are stopping the other passengers from getting past." Nami pushed at him angrily. The green haired man turned his attention away from the straw hat for a moment and raised an eyebrow at his fiancé.

"Whose fault is that?" He eyed the large orange bag slung over his shoulder. Nami sighed and pushed past him, ignoring his comment.

"Let's just get to the dojo. Come on, Usopp."

Zoro walked after them, with Chopper by his side, and he glanced back to the area where the straw hat had disappeared in.

"Zoro! Hurry up!"

"Dammit..." The green haired man scowled and jogged towards his fiancé and the long nosed boy. He had failed to meet Straw Hat. The man sighed and shifted the uncomfortable orange bag on his shoulder. _Maybe I'll see him later_...

Luffy watched his straw hat fall into the crowd of people. He gasped and pushed his way through the people to reach his hat. The boy picked it up and hugged it to his chest.

"Whew...that was close!" Luffy sighed and jammed the hat back onto his head. That was too close...He grinned and waved at Sanji and Robin. "I've got it back, guys!" Suddenly, he noticed someone with a light green head walking away and into town. Luffy blinked. Were there any green haired people living in town? The boy stared in awe at the green hair for a while. _It looks so cool!_

"What are you looking at, idiot?" Sanji stared in the direction Luffy was staring in.

"That guy with green hair! It looks really cool!" Luffy pointed at Zoro, who had disappeared behind a corner in the street.

"It's just a guy with green hair." Sanji shrugged and jabbed a thumb at the ship behind them. "What's more important is that while you were ogling that guy with green hair, all the passengers on the ship left."

Luffy's jaw went slack. "Oh no! I didn't find Santoryu!"

Sanji nearly snorted. "Yeah, sure. As if you could've found him in the first place. You don't even know what he looks like." Luffy pouted and stared at Sanji sadly. The blonde shot an annoyed look back at the boy. "Just forget it. If he came into town, you should be able to meet him sooner or later. Let's go home. I'll cook something good for you."

Luffy's pout was quickly replaced with a wide grin. "Yeah! I'll meet him later, right? Let's go home and eat meat!" Sanji sighed and then smirked, giving Luffy's straw hat a rough shake, eliciting a giggle from the boy.

"Come on, Luffy." The blonde haired man smiled and pushed the boy in the direction of their dojo.

Robin smiled at the two boys. "I'll be heading home then. See you."

"Good night, Robin-chwan!"

"Bye, Robin!"

The dark haired woman chuckled and turned into a corner, towards her own house.

* * *

**To be continued...**


	2. I'm Monkey D Luffy! And you are?

_To clarify, this story will start out with mild SanjiLuffy and ZoroNami._

_But it will gradually evolve to ZoLu! And mild SaNa, ViviKohza, and UsoppKaya_...

_Please enjoy!_

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**- 2 -**

* * *

The long nosed boy led the couple and their dog down several streets. Finally, the group stopped. Usopp swiped a finger under his nose proudly and grinned. 

"Here's the dojo. I designed it myself!"

Nami smiled at the sight before her and Zoro inspected the dojo curiously. He had to admit, the Usopp boy had some talent. The whole dojo was surrounded by a white cement wall and the front door was decorated in an intricate pattern of polished shells. A beautiful courtyard on the inside could be visible through the front door. There was even a rock garden decorating one side of the grassy courtyard and small bushes were planted along the front of the dojo. Pale wooden boards on the floor were polished smoothly and they shined in welcome of anyone passing by. A large orange tree loomed over the entire dojo and Zoro remembered Straw Hat's letter. _He mentioned that there would be a festival coming up, right?_ He glanced behind him and noticed the red lamps hanging high above the streets.

"There's more inside!" Usopp smiled eagerly, pulling Zoro's attention away from the streets. "On the left is where you can hold competitions. Down the middle is a training hall. And to the right is another training hall. You'll find bedrooms and the kitchen on the right side, too."

Chopper bounded inside and rolled around in the courtyard happily. Zoro smirked and stepped in to survey the inside more closely.

"It's nice." He finally said, staring up at the open courtyard, giving view to the setting sun that had turned the large orange tree hanging over them a golden color. The green haired man smiled and went to the right side of the dojo, looking for the bedrooms so that he could put his and Nami's bags down.

Nami shook Usopp's hand. "It's a deal, then." She smiled and strolled into the dojo. "You did a wonderful job here, Usopp." The orange haired woman started to inspect all of the rooms and halls, nodding approvingly after every room she came back out of.

The long nosed boy smiled sheepishly and scratched his head. "Oh, it's nothing. I have designed even greater buildings than this. Buildings so great that I have earned the name of Usopp the Great Architect!"

Chopper's head shot up and seemed to stare at the long nosed boy in awe. Usopp blinked at the dog's reaction and smiled, walking over to pat Chopper on the head.

"Zoro?" Nami called, walking towards the bedrooms. "Zoro? When should we open up the dojo?" She found the green haired man lying on his back with his swords propped up against the wall. He was sleeping again. She sighed in annoyance but it was quickly replaced with a smile and she quietly slid the door of the room shut.

* * *

"Did you hear?" 

"What? What?"

"There's a new dojo opening up near here!"

"What?!"

"I heard that there's this really cool looking guy who's teaching."

"Really?"

"He's even cooler than Luffy!"

"Wow... I wonder what he teaches..."

"Let's go check it out after class today!"

"Okay!"

"Can I come, too?"

"If he's cooler than Luffy, let's go there instead."

"Yeah, and sensei is always late..."

Vivi stared at the students in the room, gossiping about the new dojo opening up nearby. _Are they going to leave this dojo then? But what about Luffy? Isn't he our sensei? Can they just switch so easily?_ She shook her head sadly and walked over to sit next to a dark blonde haired boy.

"Ne, Kohza?" She inched towards him. He gave her a skeptic glance.

"What?"

"Everyone's talking about that new dojo opening up. Are you going to go see it?"

Kohza snorted and then smirked. "Nah, I'm not interested. Luffy's my sensei. And he'll always be. Until I beat him, that is." The boy grinned and started to imagine himself beating up his sensei in the competition hall.

Vivi stared at him in wonder, ignoring the last part of his response. He had just echoed the same thoughts going through her mind. He wasn't going to leave Luffy like the other students! A wide smile spread across her face and she threw her arms around the boy, hugging him tightly. Kohza's eyes widened in shock and he tried to pry the girl off of him.

"Vivi?! What the? What are you doing?" The boy blushed in embarrassment, trying to pry the girl's arms off of him.

Luffy ran into the room and smiled at his class. "Good morning! Sorry for being a little late." The black haired boy smiled sheepishly. "Okay, let's start then." Vivi let go of the red faced Kohza and smiled back at her sensei.

"Hai!"

* * *

Zoro stared at the dojo in front of him. He stood there for a moment before stepping inside, following after Nami. It was a nice dojo, not as nice as their own, but nice nevertheless. And old. He could feel the long history of passion for fighting emitting from this dojo. _Whoever runs this place must be pretty good_... The green haired man thought excitedly, his hands instinctively flying towards his side. But he stopped, remembering that he hadn't brought his swords with him today. Zoro sighed, dropping his hand to his side, and trudged on in, trying to hide his eagerness to see how the person in charge fought. 

"_Zoro, today we're going to visit a dojo nearby. They might compete with us for students so we have to go in and observe how we can be better than them and draw in more students."_

"_Spying?" He glanced at her. They were actually going to go spying? He shrugged and opted to strap on his swords in preparation. "Whatever_..._" Nami stopped him from tying on the swords._

"_No swords today. We can't let them know that you fight well!"_

_Zoro snorted and set the swords gently against the wall. "Just because I'm not wearing swords doesn't mean that they won't know that I fight well."_

"_I don't care. No swords! And don't get people angry while we're at the dojo!" The orange haired woman demanded. The green haired man grumbled and stood up irritably._

And now they were here. On enemy grounds. Zoro ran a hand through his green hair. Despite the fact that he might meet a strong rival, he already had this whole day planned out! And then Nami went and ruined it. He was planning on writing a reply letter to Straw Hat today and then he was going to find the Merry Post Office to send it. Afterwards, he had organized an entire day of training for himself to do in his new dojo... Zoro sighed and started to wander around. _What the hell are we looking for anyway?_ He finally found a blonde haired man standing in someplace that looked like a kitchen. When he came closer to the room, the green haired man noticed that the blonde was wearing a pink apron. Zoro raised an eyebrow. _What the hell?_

Sanji turned around, holding a wooden spatula, and stared at Zoro. The blonde man's eyes immediately narrowed.

"Who the hell are you?" Sanji sneered.

"I should be asking you the same question." Zoro raised both eyebrows, staring at the pink apron that read 'Kiss the Cook'.

Sanji glared at the stranger who had suddenly intruded the kitchen. He noticed the light green hair growing on the man's head and he raised one of his meticulously curled eyebrows. The blonde pointed his wooden spatula at the mop of hair.

"What's up with the grass growing on your head?"

Zoro glared at the man and an annoying tick grew on his head. He didn't like him. Not one bit. "What about you? What's with that sissy apron?"

Sanji's eyes narrowed angrily and he scowled, putting his hands on his hips. He didn't like this guy. Not one bit. "Who are you calling sissy?"

"_You_, idiot."

"You bastard... what are you doing here anyway?"

"None of your damn business."

The two men glared dangerously at each other and sparks seemed to fly through the air. Nami sensed the dangerous aura growing from a room down the hall. When she spotted the familiar green hair at the doorway, she sighed and quickly walked over, slamming a fist into the back of Zoro's head.

"Didn't I tell you not to go make people angry?!" She shouted at the man who was now clutching his head in pain. Nami sent a sweet smile to Sanji. "I'm so sorry about this. We were just looking for the owner of this dojo."

The blonde haired man's attention immediately turned to the beautiful woman standing in the doorway. He stared at Nami in awe. Never had he seen a woman as beautiful as this one... His heart nearly leapt out of his chest and the man flew over to clamp his hands over the woman's hands. "You don't need to be sorry at all, sweet lady. My name is Sanji. I know that I am not worthy but, will you give me your name?"

Nami blinked once and then laughed nervously, pulling her hands away from the man. "Eh... we were just looking for the owner of this dojo."

"That idiot is almost done with class. Just sit here and wait. I'll fix up a delicious drink that can only be fitful of a lovely lady such as yourself!"

"Well..." Nami let herself be led to a table and she stared in surprise at her fiancé sitting cross-legged on the ground. He was glaring at Sanji and she smirked. "At least someone knows how to flatter a woman." The glare was redirected at her now and she nearly laughed.

"Oh? I didn't know we had visitors coming today." A soft voice came from the doorway. Nami looked up and found a dark haired woman standing at the doorway, holding a book in her arms.

"We were just looking around." The orange haired woman smiled and thanked Sanji as he floated over with a bubbly orange drink in his hands. "We wanted to meet with the owner here." Robin sat down beside her and smiled.

"Luffy? I think you'll like him."

"Luffy's the name of the owner I presume?" Nami sipped on the drink and smiled. "This is delicious!"

Sanji wobbled around like a noodle. "I'm so glad you like it, miss!"

"Oi, Nami." Zoro stood up and leaned against the wall of the kitchen. "I think he's coming."

And sure enough, they spotted a herd of children running towards the kitchen along with a teenage boy with black hair leading the group.

"MEAT!" They all sang together and ran around the corner, into the dining room. Nami stared in surprise at the dust left in their wake. Sanji shook his head, balancing the dishes in his arms and apologized to Nami.

"I'll be back, my sweet!" And then he left around the same corner towards the dining room. Zoro stared blankly out the room. _What a strange dojo run by weird people_...

Robin chuckled and stood up. "That boy at the front was Luffy. Would you two like to join us for lunch? Sanji is very good at cooking."

"No thanks." Zoro shook his head but a hand cut him off. He stared at Nami in annoyance.

"Of course, we'll join! What better way to meet Luffy than over lunch?" Nami smiled at Robin, who in turn smiled back.

"Here, follow me." The trio left the kitchen and turned the corner. Zoro and Nami found themselves walking into an enormous dining room with a long table down the middle. Luffy sat at the end of the table and his students sat on the sides of the table. Bits of food flew through the air as Luffy and his students ate off their plates. Nami stared at them in disgust and Zoro raised an eyebrow at Luffy. _This is the one who fights well? Hard to imagine_... He stared at the lanky body of the boy in disbelief and then watched in surprise as the boy grabbed a piece of meat off of his student's plate. The student whose meat had been stolen stood up and started shouting.

"Luffy's stealing food again!" All of the children sitting at the table immediately guarded their plates and stared at their sensei suspiciously. Luffy gave them an innocent smile and Sanji kicked a foot into the back of the boy's head.

"If you're still hungry, just tell me, dammit! Don't go stealing your student's food again, idiot! And we have guests! Have the decency for better manners!" He lifted his foot from the boy's head and smiled sheepishly at Nami.

The students all nodded and returned to eating their food. Luffy only pouted sadly and gave Sanji a pleading look.

"Food?"

The blonde haired man rubbed his temples and went back to the kitchen. Luffy grinned and bounced in his seat.

"Food! Food! Food!"

Zoro raised an eyebrow at this and gave Nami a 'look'. If this was what made students want to join Luffy's dojo, Zoro would rather have no students than act as Luffy was acting now. Nami sighed and shrugged at him. The green haired man frowned and was about to go back out the room when he felt a pair of eyes on him. Zoro turned and found Luffy staring at him in interest. The green haired man stared back at the black haired boy wondering why the boy was suddenly so interested in him. Perhaps the boy had figured out how strong he was and wanted to challenge him to a match?

"Sanji! It's the guy with the green hair!" Luffy shouted and pointed at Zoro. Sanji appeared in the dining room with another plate of food.

"Hm? The green haired guy?"

"Yeah! The one I saw as we were leaving the harbor! It's the cool green haired guy!"

Zoro raised an eyebrow at Luffy. Cool? How could the boy so straightforwardly call him cool? And wasn't his green hair supposed to be weird? When had been the last time someone had called it _cool_?

Sanji placed the plate of food on the table in front of Luffy and inspected Zoro up and down.

"Che, so it is the grass haired bastard we saw yesterday."

"What did you just say, shitty cook?" Zoro growled angrily. Nami glared at him disapprovingly which he returned with a glare of his own. Luffy finished the plate of food Sanji had set down and looked back up to admire the green hair.

"Isn't his hair so cool?!" Luffy grinned and stood up to run over to the green haired man. Zoro gave him a skeptic look, cautious of the shorter boy's next movements. Maybe he would do a surprise attack? But the boy only stared up at him with large, curious brown eyes. Luffy was quite close to him and Zoro noticed that the boy had a scar under his left eye. _What the? Why the hell is he looking at me so closely?!_ The green haired man felt himself blush from the intense attention he was receiving from the black haired boy.

"Uh... I..." Zoro was at a loss for words. One of Luffy's hands was reaching towards his green hair and Zoro wasn't sure if he wanted the boy to touch it or not. They were strangers, yet Luffy was acting as if they had been friends for a long time! He was utterly speechless and he couldn't move away from the boy. Thankfully, his fiancé butted in before Luffy could touch his hair.

"Well, thanks for everything. We'll visit another time. Ne, Zoro?" Nami smiled, deciding that it was a good time to leave while they could.

"Yeah..." The green haired man quickly left through the doorway, feeling extremely uncomfortable all of a sudden.

"Wait! I'm about to start class soon. You guys wanna come watch?" Luffy grinned and strolled out of the room with his students following closely after.

"Um..." The green haired man stared at the boy for a while.

"If you insist!" Nami answered for him with a smile. Zoro frowned but followed after her all the same and into the room where classes were held.

"Okay! Let's go, guys! Places, everyone."

The students lined up neatly in two rows again and stood in a horse stance, feet spread wide open, facing forward.

"And one! Two!" Luffy led them through a series of movements fluidly, counting out each move for the students to follow. Zoro and Nami sat near the back, watching intently. The green haired man watched in surprise as the black haired boy easily followed through the movements as if it were second nature. A small smile crossed Zoro's face. _This guy's good._ He could almost imagine Luffy in an actual battle. Fast and flexible, with strong punches and kicks. The green haired man forgot all of the awkwardness from before and was itching to challenge the boy to a match.

Sanji and Robin stood in the doorway of the room, watching Luffy and the students. From time to time, the blonde haired man's gaze shifted from Luffy to the two visitors. He didn't like the green haired man but the orange haired woman... Sanji nearly melted to the floor. _I think I'm in love_... The blonde sighed blissfully.

Robin stared at Sanji and followed his gaze to the orange haired girl sitting next to the green haired man. A small smile graced her lips and she turned her attention on Sanji again, chuckling quietly.

"Nice work! Class dismissed!" Luffy grinned and waved good bye to the students leaving the room. Nami stood up and thanked the black haired boy for letting them stay and watch.

"Anytime!" The boy smiled happily and stared at Zoro with shining eyes. The green haired man took a step back nervously. "What did you think?"

"Uh..." Zoro didn't expect the question and he was lost as to what to say to Luffy. But then he grinned and relaxed, deciding to answer honestly. "You're good." It was the truth. The boy wasn't bad at all.

"Neehee. I know. I'm strong! And you look like you are, too." The black haired boy smiled. "I'm Monkey D. Luffy. And you are?"

The green haired man smirked. "Roronoa Zoro."

"Cool name! I'll see you around. Eh... Sanji? I'm gonna go send my letter now!" And with that, the boy sped away down the hall.

"Sure, Luffy." Sanji shrugged and then turned to smile at Nami. "Will you let me know your name before you leave me, angel?"

The orange haired woman blinked before smiling, causing Sanji's heart to flutter. "I'm Nami. And we should be heading back. Come on, Zoro."

The green haired man nodded to Sanji and Robin before leaving the dojo. As the couple walked out the front door, Luffy rushed past. The boy turned around a few meters away and waved at them with an envelope in his hands.

"Bye, Zoro! Bye, orange haired girl!" And he sped off again. Zoro raised an eyebrow. How could this guy suddenly be so friendly with someone he just met? _Just because I'm cool looking?_ The green haired man snorted and waved back at Luffy lazily. That boy was pretty interesting. Maybe he finally found himself a good friend other than Straw Hat...

Nami giggled. "That boy is pretty cute. Too bad we'll be stealing away his students soon..."

_Oh yeah._ Zoro blinked. He had forgotten that.

"Well, let's head back to our new dojo. I overheard Luffy's students saying that they would come visit our dojo. We have to go make you look more _cool_, Zoro!" She ran towards the other side of the street. "Come on! Hurry!"

The green haired man shrugged and ran off after Nami. He glanced over his shoulder, watching the black haired boy's retreating back. _Sorry, Luffy. It's just business. Nothing personal._ Perhaps they could still be friends?

* * *

Luffy raced into the white building of the Merry Post Office, clutching a letter in his hands, labeled 'To: Santoryu'. He smiled fondly at the booths lined along both sides of the hall and jumped towards the nearest booth. The boy hadn't received another letter from his over seas friend but he was sure that Santoryu would send one soon. In the meantime, Luffy had decided to send him a new letter. 

"Send this to Santoryu for me, please!" The black haired boy smiled and watched the man in the booth take his letter. The man slipped his envelope into the slot behind him and Luffy grinned as he heard the _ding!_ from behind the wall.

"All done, sir."

"Thanks!" The boy ran back outside just in time to see the lights from the lanterns light up. "Oh! They're testing the lights today?" He watched the red lanterns light up warmly. _The festival's coming soon, huh?_ Luffy smiled and skipped down the road back home. Maybe he should ask through a letter for Santoryu to join him in the festival?

* * *

"Woah..." 

"This place is so pretty...!"

"Look! Look! It's that green haired guy we saw earlier!"

"His name was Roronoa Zoro, right?"

"Zoro... so cool!"

"I want him to be my sensei!"

"Look at those swords!"

"His muscles are huge!"

"Maybe he could beat Luffy with one blow?"

"No way...!"

"He's so cool!"

Zoro blushed at the praise he was receiving as he prepared his katana to cut through the slab of stone Nami had set in front of him to show off to the students. He sighed and concentrated on the slab of stone. Then, with a smooth cut, the stone broke, cut cleanly in half by his sword.

"Did you see that?!"

"He cut through the stone!"

"So strong!"

The green haired man felt himself flush pink again from the praise. Never in his life had he been praised so much in one day... He was starting to feel uncomfortable under all the gazes and he sheathed his sword slowly before turning to face Luffy's former students.

"Oi, are you going to just stand there and stare?" Zoro scowled at them and walked towards the room set aside for classes. The students murmured behind him and he could hear their eager footsteps following after him. Nami gave him a thumbs-up from the side and his scowl deepened._ I really don't like this_... he thought irritably before sliding open the door to the classroom.

"Grab a sword there and let's start training." Zoro gestured lazily towards a cabinet full of bamboo swords. The students stared at each other and then raced to the cabinet in excitement. The green haired man sighed and prepared to teach his new students.

Nami smiled slyly from the doorway, counting the number of new students they had now. _That's 5,000 keri for each student…so we'll make 55,000 keri in a month!_ She laughed internally.

Zoro glared at her from the corner of his eye, guessing the thoughts passing through her mind. He lowered his gaze and stared at the dojo floor in thought. _What will Luffy think of me when he finds out_... He felt as if he was cheating and betraying a new friendship... The green haired man growled and turned his eyes on the students standing before him clutching bamboo swords. _It's too late to be thinking these thoughts._

* * *

"Luffy! Get ready for class!" Sanji called from outside of the black haired boy's room. The blonde heard a groan from inside and a loud _thunk!_ signaling that the boy had fallen from his bed. Sanji sighed and opened the door to check if Luffy was all right. He found the boy sitting up and rubbing his forehead furiously, trying to numb the pain of falling to the floor head first. 

"Luffy, get ready and come eat breakfast. Classes should start in 15 minutes."

"What?! I only have 15 minutes of breakfast?!"

"You overslept. Now hurry up and get ready." He watched the boy grumble and he shut the door when Luffy started taking off his pajama shirt. The blonde haired man had just taken a few steps away when Luffy ran back out of his room, fully dressed, and into the kitchen, eating away the breakfast Sanji had prepared for him. The blonde haired man smirked at the boy and watched as Vivi and Kohza came in from the front door. He raised a hand to greet them.

"Oi! Want anything to eat or drink?"

They looked up and smiled, shaking their heads, politely declining his offer.

"Luffy's in the kitchen finishing up his breakfast. He'll be out soon." Sanji smiled, leading the two children into the dojo to wait for their teacher. The minutes passed and the blonde haired man frowned as no other students came through the door. _What's going on? They can't all be sick, can they?_

Luffy raced out of the kitchen, wiping away any bread crumbs from his lips, and stopped beside Sanji. "Good morning!" The boy smiled and then headed into the classroom.

"Luffy, wait." The blonde haired man grabbed the boy's shoulder. "Did the students tell you that something would be happening today?"

Luffy shook his head. "No. Why?"

Sanji turned away from the boy and his eyes narrowed at the front door. "You only have two students today, Luffy."

"What?" The boy blinked and peered into the room. "Oh! You're right. Only Vivi and Kohza are here today. I hope everyone's all right. What happened?" Sanji shrugged and Luffy shrugged, deciding to enter the large class room. He smiled at his two students kneeling on the floor of the dojo. "Good morning! Vivi, Kohza!"

"Good morning, sensei." The two chorused. Kohza was wearing an angry scowl across his face while Vivi looked worried. Luffy's eyebrows creased together in confusion.

"What's wrong?"

"No one's here..." Vivi muttered sadly. Luffy smiled.

"It's all right, Vivi. I'm sure they're all okay." The black haired boy pulled out his fist in front of him and grinned. "They're strong!"

Kohza's scowl deepened. "They're not coming back, sensei." Vivi shot him a glare but the boy ignored it. Luffy blinked in surprise.

"They're not coming back? Why not?"

"They went to the new dojo that opened yesterday." Kohza stared at Luffy straight in the eyes, angrily. "They left you for another sensei!"

The black haired boy stared at Kohza for a moment before smiling. "Why would they do that?"

"Because they think that you're not as cool as the other guy! They left, just for a stupid reason like that!" The dark blonde haired boy almost shouted. Vivi bit her lip nervously and Sanji stared into the dojo skeptically.

Luffy laughed and grinned at Kohza. "That's okay. At least you two are here, na? Let's start class."

Kohza squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his fists. _It isn't fair. After learning under Luffy for so long, why did they just leave without saying anything to Luffy? And how can sensei be so carefree? He lost more than half of his students in less than a day! And he can still smile and laugh?!_

"Come on, Kohza." Luffy smiled.

"Kohza?" Vivi stared at her friend.

The boy let out a sigh and glared at Luffy. "Why don't you care? Aren't you angry that someone stole your students all of a sudden?! What will happen to this dojo if you can't get enough students? You'll have to close down the dojo!"

_I'll have to close down the dojo_... Luffy's smile disappeared, replaced with serious eyes. "I will never let this dojo close." Then the black haired boy shook his head and grinned, clamping a hand over the smaller boy's shoulder. "So, let's start class. If you're so bothered by this, I can go find out who the owner of the new dojo is. It's really no big deal."

Kohza crossed his arms over his chest and let out a small humph. Luffy laughed, taking this answer as the okay for class to start.

Sanji watched Luffy out of the corner of his eye and sighed. He turned his gaze to the courtyard of the dojo, observing the old wood in the halls. How long had this dojo stood anyway? He wasn't sure of it himself. But, Luffy seemed really attached to it. The blonde haired man slid the door of the room shut and sauntered down the hall into the kitchen. Even if most of the students were gone, there was still lunch to cook.

* * *

Chopper bounded into the bedroom where Zoro sat, drying his green hair with a white towel. The man had just taken a shower after finishing his first official class and was cooling off in his bedroom. He smiled as he thought of all the students who had seemed very eager to learn swordsmanship. Chopper nudged the man's knee with his blue nose and dropped two letters into his lap. Zoro stared at them and grinned, picking both envelopes up. 

"Thanks, Chopper." He opened both envelopes and started to read through them.

_Dear Santoryu,_

_You're coming to Raftel?! That's great! Maybe we'll meet each other. I'm going to wait at the harbor for you. You should recognize me because I'll be wearing a straw hat. Actually, that should be pretty obvious, huh? Do you want to know a secret? The straw hat I'll be wearing is my treasure! I wonder if you have your own treasure_..._ What would that be? Well, I'm excited about you coming. See you soon!_

_Sincerely,_

_Straw Hat_

The second letter was less enthusiastic.

_Dear Santoryu,_

_I'm sorry_..._I couldn't find you at the harbor because when I finally looked up, all the passengers on the ship had left. There were a lot of people and they pushed me. And I fell down a lot of times. My hat even flew away! Did you see it fly in the air? Or did you see me before it flew away? I hope so. Then, I can see you sooner because you'll know who I am on the streets! I didn't see you though. I wonder what you are doing now. Settling down? Do you like Raftel so far? Well, write back soon!_

_Sincerely,_

_Straw Hat_

Zoro frowned slightly and stared at his own letter, sitting on the floor in front of him. He had written it yesterday as a response to the last letter from Straw Hat. The man snatched the envelope and pulled out the piece of paper inside. Then, he crumpled it and pulled out a new sheet of paper to write back in response to the most recent letter Straw Hat had written to him. When he finished, the green haired man stood up and stepped out of the bedroom, looking for Usopp, who had been visiting a few moments before he had stepped into the shower. Zoro found the long nosed boy sitting in the kitchen, sipping a mug of warm tea. Usopp grinned at the man and lifted up his mug.

"You want some tea, Zoro?"

"Do you know where the Merry Post Office is?" Zoro asked quickly, ignoring the boy's offer. Usopp stared at the green haired man in surprise, his jaw hanging slack.

"Someone like _you_ signed up for that program?" The boy responded when he came back to his senses.

"Nami forced me." Zoro stared at him in annoyance.

"Ah..." Usopp nodded. "That explains it."

"Well?"

"Hmm?"

"Where is it?!" Zoro waved the envelope in emphasis of his impatience.

"Oh! I'll show you. Follow me!" Usopp grinned. "It's pretty easy to find actually. It's a white building with a ram's head on the rooftop."

"That's weird. Where I lived, the Merry Post Office had a snail on the rooftop. Not a ram's head..." The green haired man mumbled, following the long nosed boy out the front door of the dojo. Usopp shrugged and the two walked down the streets in silence, occasionally waving at students (on Zoro's part) or waving to civilians (on Usopp's part).

"How long have you been here?" Zoro asked in interest as the boy waved at another person passing by.

"A few weeks. Ever since you guys got me started on the dojo project."

"I see..." Zoro nodded. _This town must be full of really friendly people. Like Luffy._ He smiled inwardly, thinking about the carefree boy he had met yesterday. He remembered that the boy had been sending a letter yesterday... Did Luffy also sign up for the Merry Post Office program?

"We're here." Usopp interrupted the green haired man's thoughts and held open the wooden door of the white building for him. Zoro admired the architecture of the building and casually walked in, observing the warm atmosphere inside. _So this is what Straw Hat sees every time he sends a letter to me_... The green haired man smiled fondly and thanked Usopp before heading towards a booth on one of the sides of the room. He found a red haired lady smiling up at him.

"How may I help you, sir?"

"I want to send a letter to Straw Hat." Zoro watched as the lady nodded and took the letter gently from his hands. Then, she slipped it into a slot behind her and after a small _ding!_ from behind the wall, the woman smiled at him.

"It's being sent, sir."

"Thanks." Zoro nodded appreciatively and looked around for Usopp. The man spotted the curly haired boy sitting in a booth on the other side of the room. "Oi, Usopp. Let's go back."

The long nosed boy looked up from his seat in the booth and smiled nervously. "Wait, Zoro! I just need to sign this and then I'll be ready to head back. Wait for me! Don't leave that spot or you'll get lost!"

The green haired man scowled. When did Usopp learn about his bad sense of direction? Zoro shook his head and then smirked, watching the boy sign a piece of paper. So, Usopp was signing up for the program, too? _How ironic. This thing must be getting pretty trendy now_... He thought wryly. The long nosed boy was walking in his direction now and the two headed out the wooden doors together, back to the new dojo.

* * *

**To be continued...**

Thanks for reading the second chapter of Under Mirangu Branches!

Please tell me if anything seems inconsistent or weird. I'll try my best to fix it.


	3. Roronoa Zoro

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**- 3 -**

* * *

Luffy woke up early in the morning. It just felt like it was the right time to wake up and he sat up straight on his bed, throwing his covers off of himself. The boy crept out his room and glanced out into the courtyard. His heart flipped as he noticed something there. It was an envelope, sitting in the grass, as if giving Luffy an invitation to open it. The boy grinned and hopped over to grab the letter. Then, falling back down onto the grass of the courtyard, Luffy opened the letter and pulled out the piece of paper. He smiled, recognizing the writing.

_Dear Straw Hat,_

_I want to say sorry, too. I didn't see you. But I did see someone wearing a straw hat in the crowd and then it disappeared. I thought that was strange but you must've been pushed over then or something. And I did see your hat fly by. It passed straight over me. Just imagine how strange it was to see your hat flying by after watching it disappear in the crowd. I almost thought it was a ghost hat or something. Anyway, that whole meeting was a mess. At least I'm in Raftel now. And I've been doing well. Chopper really likes to play with the orange trees. You live in a great place, Straw Hat. Sometimes, when I look outside at the scenery, I really envy you. But, now I'm living here too. So I suppose I don't need to feel envious anymore. One question, would you like to try meeting again?_

_Sincerely,_

_Santoryu_

Luffy grinned widely at the last sentence and jumped up from his spot on the grass, racing back into his own room to pull out a sheet of paper. He started writing and a few minutes later, he was interrupted by a knock on his door.

"Luffy? You up yet?" Sanji's voice called from outside.

"Yeah! I'm up! I'm writing a letter."

"Oh... well breakfast is ready. Come and get it."

"All right!" Luffy smiled and wrote the last bit of the letter out quickly. The boy stuck the paper into an envelope and left it on his table, deciding to send it after breakfast. Luffy dressed quickly and walked out of his room to find Vivi and Kohza stepping in from the front doors.

"Eh? Vivi? Kohza?" Luffy stared at them. "Why are you guys here so early?"

"We thought that since we're the only students now, we can have extra training time!" Vivi smiled happily and Kohza grinned at the older black haired boy.

"Cool!" Luffy exclaimed before pouting, "But now I have to wake up earlier..."

The two students laughed merrily and followed their pouting sensei into the kitchen. Sanji turned and stared at them in surprise.

"Vivi? Kohza?"

"We're going to come here earlier now. To train."

Sanji smirked and jabbed his thumb in Luffy's direction. "Okay. You two are in charge of waking the idiot up from now on." Luffy's pout deepened and his head sunk to the table in depression. Sanji smirked and put a plate of waffles in front of the boy. "Oh, don't look so glum, Luffy. Here's some breakfast."

The black haired boy's head shot up immediately and he shoved the waffles into his mouth. Sanji snorted. _He's way too easy to manipulate._ The blonde haired man gave the two students each a plate of waffles as well.

"Thanks!" Kohza grinned, stuffing a waffle into his mouth. Vivi smiled at Sanji kindly. "Thank you, Sanji-san."

"Anytime, Vivi-chan!" The blonde haired man smiled and patted the girl on the head. Kohza glanced at Luffy and swallowed his mouthful of waffle before speaking.

"Sensei, have you inspected who the owner of the new dojo is yet?"

Luffy looked up and stared at the dark blonde haired boy.

"The one who stole your students away?!" Kohza stared at his teacher irritably.

"Oh! That guy!" Luffy grinned and shoved another two waffles into his mouth. He shook his head. "Nope."

"Sensei!" Kohza slammed his fork onto the table and stood up, nearly knocking over his chair in frustration. "Go check today! We'll go now. No, wait... after we eat breakfast!"

Vivi giggled as Luffy and Kohza both chewed on their food and swallowed simultaneously. Luffy stared at the boy and smiled. "Fine, we'll go check it out today because Kohza wants to. Does anyone know where the new dojo is?"

Kohza nodded eagerly. "A few of my friends said that they were going there to train today. I can ask them to take us there. They live nearby."

"I'll come, too." Sanji added from his place near the sink.

"Yosh!" Luffy finished off his plate. "Let's go! Into enemy territory!"

The four of them left the dojo, following Kohza to his friend's home. Sanji shoved his hands in his pockets and glanced around at the red lanterns hanging up in the streets.

"Oi, Luffy." The blonde turned his gaze to the boy. "We still have to set up a booth for the Grand Line Festival, you know? Have you thought of anything yet?"

The black haired boy blinked in surprise and then stared at the sky, eyebrows furrowing in thought. "Hmm... I'm strong so..."

Sanji stared blankly at Luffy and then shook his head, realizing where the boy's logic was taking him. Kohza and Vivi grinned and stared at their teacher knowingly. A decisive look spread across the black haired boy's face and he bopped a fist into his palm.

"I've decided. We'll hold a competition outside the dojo. And whoever beats me can get a prize!" Luffy nodded.

"Just like last year..." Sanji stared at the boy pointedly.

"And the year before that..." Kohza smirked.

"He never fails the expectations." Vivi giggled. After another few moments of walking, Kohza pointed towards a house in the distance. A light blue two-story house stood upright on the corner of a street. A boy with dark hair slicked back neatly pushed open the front door.

"Bye, mum." The group heard the boy drawl and shut the door behind him. Kohza smirked and waved at the boy.

"Oi! Crocodile!" The dark blonde watched Crocodile look up in surprise before jogging over.

"Kohza?"

"We wanted to ask you to take us to the new dojo!"

"Um... sure. Just follow me." Crocodile nodded and jabbed a thumb in the direction of the new dojo. Then, he started walking off down the street quickly. "But don't slow me down, all right? I might be late."

Kohza grinned and ran after the dark haired boy. Vivi raised an eyebrow. _When did they become friends_...

"Ou! Into enemy territory!" Luffy cried and ran after the two boys hastily. Sanji and Vivi followed after him quickly. After turning a few corners, all five of them stopped at the front of a white dojo. Crocodile smirked and jogged in. Kohza waved at the boy's back and stopped to observe the new dojo that had opened. He had to admit, the dojo was pretty impressive...

Luffy stared at the large dojo in awe.

"Amazing! It's great!" He nearly shouted. Sanji kicked him in the head.

"You're not supposed to praise the enemy, idiot!"

Vivi giggled and surveyed the outside of the dojo, looking for the name tag that all the dojos _usually_ hung up on the outer wall. For some reason, Luffy's dojo didn't have one... She smiled as she found the wooden board hung up vertically on the side of the white front walls and read it to herself. The blue haired girl blinked and read it again, hoping that she hadn't misread the name.

"Roronoa...?" She whispered in confusion, remembering the green haired man who had visited a few days before. _If I remember correctly_... _he said his name was Roronoa Zoro_... _Is it the same Roronoa?_

Sanji glanced over at the little girl and noticed her staring in confusion at the dojo wall. He walked over and smiled, placing a hand over her head.

"What's wrong, Vivi-chan? You look a little confused." The blonde knelt down next to her. The blue haired girl turned to face him and blinked once. Then, raising her index finger, she pointed at the wooden board hung on the wall.

"Hm?" Sanji's gaze redirected itself onto the wooden board of the wall and he stood up in surprise. Then, his eyes narrowed dangerously as he realized the familiarity of the name. He hid his anger quickly and gave Vivi a reassuring smile. "It's okay, Vivi. I'll tell Luffy about it."

The blue haired girl nodded nervously, staring at the wooden board again. The blonde haired man growled under his breath and stomped off towards Luffy. _The bastard_... _I knew he was no good. Acting all friendly with Luffy and then stealing his students_... _I ought to kick his shitty ass._ As Sanji walked nearer to the black haired boy, he tried to calm down and walk more casually. Then, he tapped the boy on the shoulder to gain his attention. Luffy turned around to stare at him with shining, expectant eyes. Sanji flinched inwardly. _Dammit._ The blonde haired man didn't want to be the one to make the boy understand how his new friendship had been betrayed but...

"Luffy. We found the name of the owner." He said in a low voice. The black haired boy nodded eagerly. Kohza turned his attention sharply to the blonde cook.

"That's great! Who is it?" Luffy asked curiously.

"It's Roronoa."

"Huh?"

"Roronoa."

Luffy smiled. "I see. Roronoa, huh? So, Zoro must live here, right?" The boy's eyes sparkled. "Let's go see him! Oh, and we need to talk to the owner, too. Because he took my students!"

Sanji stared hard at the boy. Sometimes Luffy's faith in his friends really made him want to pat his head and hug him... The blonde frowned and glared at the boy. "No, Luffy. Zoro _is_ the owner. He came to our dojo to spy on us. And you remember seeing him after he left the harbor. He didn't bring any relatives."

Luffy shook his head and frowned. "Sanji, what are you talking about? His relatives probably already live here."

The blonde haired man raised an eyebrow at the boy and scowled. "Yeah, sure. And somehow we missed the opening of a new dojo and teacher before Zoro came? I doubt that. News travels fast here, Luffy. And even if we really did miss out on the information, or if there were none, do you really believe that for some reason the relatives decided to wait until Zoro got here to open up?"

"But, Zoro wouldn't do that." The boy argued, annoyed that Sanji would accuse his new friend of stealing his students.

"Luffy, you just knew him for one day. How can you know that he wouldn't do that?" Sanji took the boy by the shoulders and shook him roughly. "Zoro betrayed your friendship! He betrayed _you_, dammit!" The man shoved the boy away from him and stomped away to kick the wall of the dojo in frustration.

Luffy's eyes narrowed seriously and he stared hard at Sanji. "I won't believe it until I see it for myself." He nodded and started to walk into the dojo. Kohza's eyes widened at the argument that had just taken place. _That cool looking guy? Roronoa Zoro? He was the one who stole the students away from Luffy? _The boy with dark blonde hair stared after the back of his sensei entering the beautiful dojo. _Wasn't that guy our friend?_

The black haired boy walked into the new dojo slowly, his lips drawn in a tight line. He could hear the sounds of feet pounding the floor from the room across the courtyard. The door of the room was slightly open. Luffy walked into the courtyard cautiously, keeping his gaze on the half-closed sliding door. He spotted a green haired man and Luffy let a smile cross his face as he watched Zoro lean against the wall, as if he were watching someone. Luffy observed the man a little longer and the smile on his face widened. _See, Sanji? He's not teaching my students. He's just watching his relative teaching class._ Suddenly, one of his former students ran over to the green haired man and the student pointed at the sword, as if he were asking a question. The smile on Luffy's face faded away. He watched as Zoro fixed the student's hand position on the sword and instructed the student to try again. A couple more students circled around the green haired man. Luffy bit his bottom lip as Zoro pointed and gestured at the students before walking off to join them somewhere else inside the class room. _So_... _He never actually wanted to be my friend_...Everything Zoro had said and acted was a lie? And he was only at his dojo to spy on him? To take away his students? The black haired boy's eyes hardened and he stormed towards the sliding door of the classroom.

"ZORO!" He shouted and slammed open the door of the room. The green haired man spun to look at the intruding boy in shock

"Luffy?!"

"You never actually wanted to be my friend, did you?" The black haired boy asked, his head bent so that his bangs shadowed his eyes.

"I... what?" Zoro blinked in shock and looked around at his students who were staring at the two teachers in surprise. "Luffy, what are you talking about?"

The boy suddenly launched himself at Zoro and the man was able to dodge the boy's punch purely upon instinct. _Luffy? What the hell? I don't want to be his friend? What?_ He blocked the boy's punches and kicks as quickly as he could but he could feel himself almost being caught off guard in some places._ I could fight back_... Zoro dodged another punch and quickly shook his previous thought away._ I have no reason to fight him right now._ But if he didn't do anything, he wouldn't be able to hold up long under the boy's angry barrage.

"Luffy! Stop!" The green haired man shouted, blocking one of Luffy's punches with a punch of his own. "What the hell are you doing?!"

"I'm going to kick your ass and prove that I'm stronger than you!" Luffy yelled back and threw a few more punches and kicks at the man. One fist caught Zoro in the chin and sent the man toppling backwards. The students in the room gasped together. Zoro gritted his teeth angrily, wiping away a trickle of blood from accidentally biting his lip. _That does it_... _this is getting embarrassing._ The green haired man stood up and glared at the boy. He caught Luffy's next punch and swung a hit at the boy's cheek furiously. The black haired boy was sent backwards into a wall. A collective gasp came from the students again.

Luffy stood up, a dangerous aura swirling around him. The boy lifted his eyes, showing hardened and steady eyes. His former students shivered and pressed themselves up against the wall nervously. Zoro stared straight into his former friends' resolute eyes, matching them with a serious glare of his own. A dangerous aura rose out of him, clashing against the boy's aura in front of him. They stood across from each other, only a few meters away. When the students felt the two overpowering auras start to push against each other, they scrambled out of the room as quickly as they could on shaky legs.

The orange haired woman sitting in her bedroom heard a loud crash from the training hall. Nami ran out the hall and noticed the students standing outside, shivering in fear. She stomped into the room with narrowed eyes. "What's going on in here?!" She screamed and noticed the two boys facing off. "Zoro! What are you doing? You scared off the students!"

"Stay out of my business." The green haired man growled, not taking his eyes off of Luffy. Nami frowned and walked up to the man. She punched him in the head furiously, sending his face into the ground. Luffy blinked once and turned on Nami.

"What are you doing?! Why did you interfere with our match?!" The boy yelled, clenching his fists in irritation. The orange haired woman stormed over to the boy with a raised fist. Then, with another punch, Luffy was sent into the ground just as Zoro had been.

Nami scowled and dragged the boy out of the dojo. "You're the one who's interfering! How dare you just show up during lessons and challenge Zoro to a match. Get out of here!" She yelled and threw the boy out into the courtyard, causing him to land in an undignified manner. The woman sighed and rubbed her temples. "I know how you must feel but the students came here because they wanted to. We didn't force them in any way. So just go back and find new students. It's nothing personal. Just business. Your students will leave you one day anyway." And with that the woman turned and walked briskly away, ushering the students back to class.

Luffy rubbed the area where Nami had punched him and frowned at the woman. He wasn't really listening. Instead, he glanced in the direction of the children backed against the wall of the dojo. His former students eyed him in terror, slowly sidling back into the class room when Nami urged them in. How terrified of him they must be now... Luffy's head dropped to his chest in shame and he stood up abruptly, walking quickly out of Zoro's dojo. The boy trudged outside and past Sanji quickly so that he could get back to his own dojo.

"Luffy! What happened?" Kohza started to walk after the boy but Sanji put a hand on the boy's shoulder to stop him.

"Just let him be." The blonde haired man nodded. "I'll check on him later. Don't worry about it. Luffy's strong."

Vivi stared after her sensei in worry. _Luffy always loves his friends so much. How did he feel when he learned that his students had deserted him? I know that he doesn't actually think of us as students. We've all been friends for a few months already_... The blue haired girl stared at the ground anxiously. _And even though they were friends for only one day_... _to be taken advantage like that_... She turned to stare at the wooden board with 'Roronoa' carved into it. _Sensei_...

Luffy turned a corner and he could feel himself getting closer to his dojo. _Fine. You're not my friend anymore, Zoro. I'll just beat you up and take my friends back. I'll show you who's stronger!_ The black haired boy started sprinting into his dojo with a resolute expression set on his face. As he entered his room, he found the unsent letter sitting on his desk. Luffy's gaze softened and he sighed, running a hand through his messy black hair to calm himself down. _But I'll send this first._ The boy smiled and plucked the envelope off his desk before racing out of the dojo again. At least he still had a few good friends around him. And as long as he knew that, he still had a reason for smiling.

* * *

A green haired man sighed and leaned against the wall of the training room in exhaustion. Class had been dismissed and he had been training as much as he could afterwards. Zoro wiped away the sweat on his brow and stared at the ceiling. _We're not going to be friends anymore, huh?_

The man stood up and stretched himself before bending over again to put his left palm on the ground. Then, with a quick jump, he flipped his body up and tucked his right arm around his back so that all of his body weight balanced on his left hand.

"Seven hundred forty-two..." The man grunted, bending his arm and then pushing back up. "Seven hundred forty-three..."

"Zoro."

The green haired man stopped his training and tilted his head to the side so that he could see the orange haired girl standing at the doorway of the room.

"What?"

"About Luffy. Do you think he'll storm back in here just like today?" She leaned against the wall in deep thought. Zoro blinked at her.

"Why?"

"If he beats you then won't he take back his students?" Nami said, crossing her arms over her chest. The green haired man let his legs fall back down to the ground and he stood in the middle of the training room staring confidently at his fiancé.

"Nah, I won't let him beat me that easily." He smirked. Nami smiled.

"He's pretty strong though."

"Even better." Zoro grinned. The woman laughed but it quickly faded away, replaced with a frown.

"I don't get it though. Why is he trying so hard to get his students back from here? I mean, with his skills and personality, he can easily find new students."

The green haired man stood in the room in silence with a scowl on his face. Nami stared at him curiously. Zoro eyed her and then turned his gaze on the wall. "I think I have an idea. Have you ever thought about the kind of person Luffy was?"

"The kind of person Luffy is?"

"I can tell from his fighting... a very passionate person." A wry smile graced his lips. "Remember how friendly he was to us? And remember his attitude towards his students during their lunch break? To him, they're not just plain students. And to him, I was..."

Nami nodded, realization starting to dawn upon her face.

"He shouted at me." Zoro smirked. "He asked me if I never actually wanted to be his friend."

Nami instinctively hugged herself and looked away, her eyes showing regret for what she had done. _Luffy could've been Zoro's first good friend and I chased him away_... She stared at the floor of the dojo. "I'm... I'm sorry, Zoro." Came her soft voice.

"It's all right. It was only a budding friendship anyway." He shrugged. "What's more important though is how Luffy's doing. After being deserted by his students that he thought of as good friends and then being back stabbed by me..."

"You didn't back stab him." Nami stated. Zoro raised an eyebrow at her.

"...I know I didn't. But, he doesn't know." He stared at her and she glanced away in frustration.

"But, it's just business!" She replied huffily. He smirked.

"Yeah, yeah." The green haired man grinned and walked over to pat the girl on the head. "It's all right. Besides, thanks to all this, now I've got a strong rival." They smiled at each other.

"I'm back!" Usopp's voice echoed in from the front door of the dojo. Chopper bounded into the room and nudged Zoro's legs once before running down towards the bedrooms. The green haired man blinked and walked to the bedroom wondering what the blue nosed dog wanted with him. As he entered the room, Zoro heard a rustle of paper and he found Chopper nudging a letter towards him. The green haired man grinned and picked up the envelope. _At least I still have a good friend like Straw Hat._ Zoro's smile widened and he opened the letter quickly, wondering how he would reply.

_Dear Santoryu,_

_Meet? Of course I want to meet! How about we meet during the Grand Line Festival? I'll wait at the white clock tower for you at 7 o'clock. It should be really easy to see if you're living in town. And during the festival, not many people go there so we can find each other more easily. I'll be wearing a straw hat again in case you still can't find me!_

_Love,_

_Straw Hat_

Zoro chuckled at the letter and closed it, trying to remember the place Straw Hat had mentioned. _The white clock tower_..._I think I've seen that a few times. Shouldn't be that hard to find. I'll get Usopp to help me get there._ The green haired man grinned and opened the letter again to read it over in case he had missed anything. Suddenly, he noticed the ending of the note. _Love_... He blinked, staring at the words on the paper. Zoro thought back to all the past letters they had written to each other. Straw Hat always wrote 'Sincerely', didn't he? But now... _He wrote 'Love' instead of 'Sincerely'?!_ Zoro's eyes widened in shock. Did he really mean... _love_? He felt his stomach flop a few times as he stared at that small word written in Straw Hat's familiar handwriting. Love? How could that be possible? He quickly shook his head. S_traw Hat probably got too excited when he was writing the reply letter._ The green haired man folded the letter quickly back into the envelope and stuffed it away into his backpack where he kept the rest of Straw Hat's letters.

"Better not to think too much about it." Zoro nodded to himself and patted Chopper on the head before leaving the bedroom to go back to training. But then he stopped in his tracks, realizing he had no idea which day the Grand Line Festival was starting on...

* * *

**To be continued...**

Thank you, everyone! I'm really glad that you've liked this story so far. Please tell me if it starts getting inconsistent or weird. I'll fix it right away! And tell me if it's too detailed because sometimes I think I write too many actions...does it get irritating? Well, nevertheless, I hope you've enjoyed the third chapter of Under Mirangu Branches!


	4. Grand Line Festival

_Thank you very much for your comments! I really appreciate it! I hope you enjoy this chapter as well_...

_Oh, and just a reminder. This story was inspired and adapted from the movie You've Got Mail. So the plot isn't entirely mine._

_But the twists in it are!_

* * *

**- 4 -**

* * *

Luffy woke abruptly, startled by a barrage of furious knocks on his door. He put his hands over his ears, trying to muffle the sound, but the knocking persisted.

"Wake up, idiot! Today might be your break but you still have to set up for the festival, dammit!" Sanji shouted, pummeling the door with the back of his fist. He heard the boy inside finally groan in response. The blonde haired man frowned. He had been standing at the door for the fifth time already, banging on the door and trying to wake up Luffy. At least finally, on the fifth try, the boy had risen. "You trained too hard, kid." He muttered under his breath and trudged down the hall into the kitchen.

The black haired boy stood up groggily, ignoring his aching arms and legs from yesterday's vigorous training. He dressed slowly, first pulling off his light blue pajama pants and then pulling on a pair of loose black pants. The boy scratched the back of his head and stood in his room idly. _What was it that Sanji wanted again? Oh, right. Breakfast._ He sluggishly pulled himself over to his bedroom door and opened it. Then, his eyes nearly popped out of its sockets as he saw the mess in the courtyard.

Nails, hammers, wooden frames for something that looked big, all lay scattered in the grass. Wooden panels lay against the wall of the dojo and paint buckets were separated in another pile on the other side of the courtyard. Luffy's eyes sparkled and he ran to the middle of everything, inspecting it all carefully.

"So cool!" He cried and picked up a hammer. The boy tossed it high into the air and caught it giddily. Sanji came back out of the kitchen, hearing Luffy's exclamation of awe. The blonde haired man shook his head and smiled when he realized that the boy's energy had come back.

"Luffy, we have to set up a stage for that competition you're planning for the festival. I got out the stuff from last year so we need to put it all together again." Sanji walked into the courtyard, surveying the wooden frames. "We'll need to put those things together and fix it up so that it doesn't fall apart while people are fighting... What do you think, Luffy?" He turned to look at the boy but immediately regretted it when he found the boy not paying attention to a word he was saying. An angry tick grew on the side of the blonde's head. "If I keep living with you, I'll probably die early from frustration and anger..." Sanji muttered under his breath, deciding to plan everything himself. He stood up and walked over to Luffy. "Oi, let's bring everything out in the streets. Everyone else is going to be setting up soon, too. Help me with the wooden frames."

The black haired boy grinned and grabbed a wooden frame and ran out the front door. Sanji watched as the boy rushed back in again and moved all of the frames out in less than a minute. Luffy sprinted back in and stared at the blonde haired man expectantly. Sanji grinned and ruffled the boy's wind blown hair.

"Okay. Next we'll..." He stared around the courtyard in thought. Suddenly, he noticed something odd and he turned to stare at the boy standing before him. "Luffy..." He said slowly, staring at the boy's choice of wear. "You forgot to change your pajama top?"

Luffy looked at himself and grinned sheepishly, noticing the striped blue pajama shirt he was wearing. "Ou! It looks like I did!"

The blonde haired man sighed. "Just go get changed. And into something that you don't like too much. You might get paint all over your shirt and pants."

"Ou!" The boy nodded and rushed into his room to change. He came out in a gray shirt with a navy blue swirl on the front and a pair of blue jeans. Sanji nodded in approval and led the boy outside.

"Okay, now we're going to nail these together so that they form two large triangles, all right?" Sanji instructed the boy. "Go get a hammer and start nailing away."

Luffy whooped with joy and ran off to fetch a hammer. Sanji walked after him, looking for another hammer and nails. He watched Luffy start on two wooden frames, hammering at it eagerly. The blonde haired man sighed and held a few nails between his lips, preparing to nail two frames together. _I hope he doesn't create something like last year_... Sanji thought, knowing fully well that it was quite possible that Luffy would make something similar to, if not worse than, last year.

* * *

"Zoro! Get up, you lazy ass!" Nami pounded against the door of the room, trying to get the snoring man up and on his feet. "Get up or I'll get you to take me out on a shopping spree!" She screamed, pounding on the door again. At least that finally got a mumble from the green haired man. Nami sighed and ran into the bathroom. Then, she returned into the bedroom and proceeded to drag the man into the bathroom and towards the bath that was starting to fill with hot water. Nami stared angrily at Zoro's head and then turned to check the depth of the water in the bath. Nearly full. She grinned and pulled the snoring man up before throwing him into the water forcefully, sending a _splash!_ of water into the surrounding walls.

Zoro jumped when he felt the hot water hit his skin. "What the fuck?!" He yelped with pain and leapt from the water in shock, grasping the edge of the bath quickly and hauling himself away from the water in an instant. Nami smiled as she finally had the green haired man awake. She put her hands on her hips and gave her fiancé a fierce stare.

"I see you're finally awake after I've been trying to get you up 112 times! You owe me 1000 keri for every time you made me call you up this morning!"

"What the hell?!" The green haired man shouted indignantly. Nami pointed out the door.

"Now that you're finally up, go get dressed and buy everything on this list! We're running out of food." She demanded, thrusting a piece of folded paper at the man.

Zoro stood up angrily and snatched the piece of paper. He rubbed the back of his neck in frustration and started to leave the door. But then the man stopped and turned around to raise an eyebrow at the woman. "No classes today?"

Nami shrugged. "All the students came by and said that they couldn't go to classes because they were helping out with setting up booths for a festival of some sort... I remember them saying that it's to celebrate the blooming of the Mirangu trees. I think they're talking about those trees in the village that are growing orange petals."

"Did they say Grand Line Festival?" Zoro asked curiously. Nami nodded.

"Yeah, that was it. How did you know?"

"Uh... Usopp told me." He started to leave and then turned back around. "I'm going to be gone at 7 o'clock on the day of the festival, so don't wait up for me."

"Yeah, I'll probably go to the festival myself and check it out." Nami nodded. "It sounds like fun. But, why are you leaving at 7?"

"There's just something I have to do." Zoro answered quickly and nodded to her, waving the paper in his hands. "I'll be going now."

"Hmm..." Nami stared at the green haired man suspiciously. Maybe she would need to do more than just check out the festival...

* * *

Zoro trudged the streets, searching around for any grocery shops. Somehow, he had made his way into another narrow street.

"Will there be grocery stores here?" He muttered to himself, staring at all the small houses on either side of him. He found a tall white clock tower rising over the roofs of the houses. It read 10 o'clock.

_That must be what Straw Hat was talking about. So, I meet him there, huh?_ Zoro smirked and walked in the direction of the tower. The green haired man heard some noise come from the corner of the street and he noticed that the red lanterns lined along the street had reappeared again in front of him. Zoro turned the corner and found the main road. The man almost jumped in joy for finding the road all by himself but resisted his urge as he noticed a familiar boy crouching down and hammering away at a pile of large wooden frames.

_Luffy._

Zoro stared at the boy in surprise and ran back around the corner, hiding himself behind the building. He peered around to observe the boy again. _Shit! What's Luffy doing there?_ The green haired man glanced around at his surroundings and noticed that the wall he was hiding behind was in fact Luffy's dojo. _Dammit, I should've noticed_... Zoro ran a hand through his hair nervously. Should he confront the boy and say sorry? He looked at the shopping list in his hands and groaned. He still needed to find the grocery store. The green haired man looked up, eyeing the boy's movements cautiously. That was when Zoro spotted the grocery store. Right across the street, only a few meters away... and right in Luffy's range of sight.

_Just what I needed._ He thought to himself sarcastically and hit his forehead, trying to get himself thinking. The green haired man watched Luffy hammer away at two wooden frames happily. Maybe, he could find some other way around to the grocery store and somehow avoid Luffy's gaze? He really didn't want to talk to the boy so soon. Especially after he had hurt his feelings so badly. He probably wouldn't be forgiven any time soon and a face-off with Luffy was the last thing he needed right now. Zoro lifted his jacket collar up so that it covered most of his face and he snuck past the boy as quickly as possible, hoping that Luffy wouldn't see him. Luckily, the boy had turned away to pick up a nail, just as Zoro scampered past him and into the grocery store. _Whew._ The green haired man let his jacket fall back into its normal position. He stared at the list in his hands._ I made it. Now, I just need to buy these things and make it past Luffy again._ Zoro nodded to himself and started down one of the aisles in the store.

* * *

Luffy smiled proudly as he finished his masterpiece. "Sanji! I'm done!" His smile widened more as the blonde haired man stepped over to observe the boy's work.

"Luffy..."

"Hm?"

"What did you do?"

"I attached the frames together! Just as you said."

"I said a triangle, Luffy." Sanji stared at the boy's finished work with a blank face. He knew this would happen. He just knew it. So, why didn't he have the mind to stop it from happening?! "I said a triangle and you give me this?"

"I thought you just said to put it together..." Luffy mumbled, his smile slowly fading away. Sanji sighed and clamped a hand over the boy's shoulder.

"All right. Whatever. Let's just stick my section with your section and then we'll start painting..." He sighed turning away from the huge obstacle course the boy had created. Ramps stretched up and down in an intricate tangle and a hole between two stages with different heights stood across from each other. Sanji shook his head, pulling his perfect triangular stage over to the obstacle course Luffy had created. To say that the competition this year would be interesting was an understatement.

As the blonde cook nailed his stage to the obstacle course, Luffy rushed to pick up the paints. _I'm gonna make the best stage ever and then beat up Zoro on it for the whole town to see!_ The boy grinned and lifted the paint cans up. Suddenly, he saw a green head emerging from the grocery store across the street. Luffy's jaw dropped and he glanced right and left, looking for a place to hide from the man. He didn't want to confront Zoro yet...! It was a good day so far and just by making eye contact with Zoro would foul his mood completely. The green haired man would probably laugh and mock him. Or something like that. The boy scowled and placed a few more paint cans onto the ones he was holding. Then, he lifted them all up, successfully blocking his face from sight, and he shuffled towards Sanji as inconspicuously as he could.

The green haired man recognized the boy being blocked by the paint cans and quickly sped past, hoping that the boy hadn't seen him. _Dammit, this is embarrassing._ But he wasn't about to talk to Luffy yet. He growled and walked past briskly, holding a few paper bags. _I'll just pretend that I didn't see him._ Zoro nodded and rushed down the street he thought he remembered walking down.

Luffy sighed in relief as the green haired swordsman left the street and he lowered the paint cans onto a pile of newspaper spread out on the ground. The boy shot a relieved grin towards Sanji.

"Eh... I've got the paint! Can we start painting?" He picked a large brush off the ground. Sanji finished hammering another nail into the wood and tossed the hammer up, catching it neatly in his hand. The blonde haired man grinned back at Luffy and nodded.

"Yeah, let's paint."

* * *

Zoro walked down another dark alley, clutching his paper bags in confusion. _Where the hell am I now?_ He raised an eyebrow at the wall in front of him and turned his head left and right, looking for any other path to follow. The green haired man spotted a tunnel leading off to his right and he took it, wondering where he would end up. _I guess as long as I get back to the dojo it doesn't matter._ Zoro shrugged inwardly. Finally, he found a light at the end of the tunnel and rushed out of the alley into the main street. He glanced around and walked down the main street cautiously. The green haired man spotted a large familiar looking object in the distance and raised an eyebrow at it, stopping in the middle of the street to observe it. He shrugged and walked towards the large object. If it felt familiar, it probably wasn't something to run from.

Luffy laughed and accidentally splattered himself with blue paint again, tickling himself with the ends of the brush. He looked up just as he noticed Zoro walking towards him. The boy gulped and brought the blue brush in his hands up to his face, trying to block his face from sight. Luffy shuffled behind his obstacle course and quickly hid away as Zoro's footsteps came closer.

Zoro walked past Luffy, without noticing him, and stood in the street, looking left and right again. Maybe if he went that way then he could get home?

"Sensei?" A child stared at Zoro from across the street. "Are you lost?"

"Uh..." He glanced to his right nervously. "No..."

The student laughed and ran over to pull the green haired man's arm towards a street corner. "Your dojo's over there. I'll take you there, if you like."

Zoro smiled. "Yeah, thanks"

As the two left the main street, Luffy peeked around his blue paintbrush and watched as Zoro disappeared around the corner. _Whew_... _he didn't notice me_... The boy sighed. He didn't know what would happen if he were to confront Zoro.

"Oi, Luffy? What are you doing there?" Sanji's voice called from the other side of the competition stage. "Get back to work. The faster you finish, the faster you get to eat!"

"Ou!" The boy grinned at the thought of Sanji's food and dismissed all thoughts on Zoro. He leapt back to the area he was painting and started splattering it all with blue paint carelessly. As he painted, the boy found a nice niche in the obstacle course, away from view, and his distressed thoughts on Zoro rushed back to him. Hopefully Zoro wouldn't come back anymore. But if the green haired man appeared, Luffy would know where to hide. The black haired boy eyed the niche and sighed in frustration, painting furiously at the wall of his competition stage. Why did this one guy cause so much trouble for him? He even had to go out of his way to hide from the green haired man! Ever since the first time he saw him at the harbor, he had been somewhat drawn to Zoro. The man was... intriguing... But at the same time, he couldn't forgive Zoro so easily for throwing away their friendship for business. Luffy frowned and shook his head, deciding that thinking anymore about the green haired man would only make him feel worse. _I'll think about what Sanji will make for lunch instead_... Luffy nodded resolutely, slapping the blue paint onto the wood.

* * *

The green haired man waved at his student thankfully and turned to stroll into his dojo. He entered the kitchen and found his orange haired fiancé counting out the money they had earned so far, mumbling to herself incoherently. She looked up and quickly pointed at the refrigerator before returning to her work. Zoro trudged in and opened the doors of the refrigerator before flinging the grocery bags inside and shutting it. He turned to look at Nami.

"Need any help?" He offered politely. She shushed him quickly and pointed out the room. Zoro stared at her. _Why did she agree to be engaged to me anyway? She loves money a hell lot more than me._ He studied the woman for a moment before shrugging and leaving the room, planning what he would do next. _Maybe I'll go train. Who knows when Luffy'll rush in, challenging me to another match_...

But his thoughts on training dissipated as the green haired man found Chopper trying to catch the orange petals falling from the large Mirangu tree over the courtyard. Zoro chuckled and walked over to sit in the courtyard, surveying the beautiful tree. He smiled at the sight of orange petals falling across the darkening sky. A few moments later, Zoro heard footsteps coming closer and he tilted his head to glance in the direction of the sound.

"Z-Zoro! I thought you were sleeping." Usopp grinned nervously. The green haired man stared at the long nosed boy suspiciously.

"What are you up to?"

"Nothing! You just caught me by surprise. I didn't want to wake you." The boy smiled and sat down next to Zoro. He stared up at the orange tree growing over the courtyard. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yeah..." The green haired man smirked, staring up at the tree. Then, he remembered that he had wanted to ask Usopp a question. "Usopp? Do you know what the Grand Line Festival is?"

The long nosed boy grinned excitedly and turned to look at the older man. "Yeah! Some of the town people told me about it. It sounds really fun, you know? There are games and booths that test your courage and strength and things like that. But wait..." He stared at Zoro suspiciously. "How did you know about the Grand Line Festival? You're such an unsociable person..."

The green haired man glared at Usopp and the boy shrank back in fear. The long nosed boy smiled nervously. "Uh... you misheard me. I was actually asking you if you were going or not..."

"Well..." Zoro let his gaze follow the leaping dog in the courtyard, trying to catch the orange petals with his teeth. "I'm supposed to meet with a friend at the white clock tower on the day of the Grand Line Festival. But, I don't know when that is. Do you know what day it's on?"

Usopp grinned. "Sure, you can count on Usopp the Great to know anything! Just ask away." Zoro stared at the boy pointedly and the boy smiled nervously. "Eh, moving on... from what people have been telling me, the Grand Line Festival is starting tomorrow morning."

The green haired man blinked in surprise. _I'm going to meet Straw Hat tomorrow night?_ Suddenly, the man was starting to feel a little nervous. He was going to meet Straw Hat tomorrow? His heart quickened as he realized he didn't even know what to say when he met his straw hat friend. And what would the guy look like? Zoro glanced over at the long nosed boy sitting next to him. "Usopp? Can you do me a favor...?"

* * *

A black haired boy sprang up from his bed and quickly got dressed in a sleeveless red top and rolled up jeans. _Today's the festival!_ There was going to be food and drinks and fighting and more food and finally meeting Santoryu at the end of it all! He grinned widely and sped out of his bedroom door and into the kitchen. Spotting Sanji leaning over the open refrigerator door, Luffy pounced on him and hugged the man's back tightly. The blonde haired man immediately stood straight up in alarm and tried to pry the boy off of him.

"LUFFY?!"

"Good morning, Sanji!" The boy smiled and gave the blonde a small kiss on his cheek before jumping off and settling himself at the table in the kitchen. Sanji stopped momentarily, holding his hand over his cheek in surprise. Then, he turned to stare at Luffy.

"What the hell are you doing up so early, idiot?!" Sanji exclaimed. He rubbed his cheek of the strangely offending kiss. "And what's wrong with you today?!" The boy merely grinned happily and started yelling in excitement.

"Breakfast! Food! Festival!"

Sanji shook his head and pulled a few eggs, an onion, and tomatoes out of the refrigerator. "I'll fix up something for you. But you can eat outside later." He smirked when he saw the boy nod eagerly. The cook put a plate on the counter and then cracked the eggs easily into a bowl and beat them well. Then, he cut each tomato into pieces and diced the onion. He readied a frying pan over the stove and after adding a little olive oil, Sanji poured the tomato and onion in. The cook added a pinch of salt and stirred the pieces of tomato and onion until they were soft and then poured the beat eggs in. He waited for them to cook a little and prodded the food with a wooden spatula so that it wouldn't burn. Finally, with a quick flip of his wrist, the meal flew through the air and landed on the plate he had prepared on the counter.

Luffy stared at the plate hungrily, readying his hands to dig in. Once Sanji had set the plate on the table, the boy seemingly swallowed the entire plate of egg and tomato whole and handed the empty plate back to the cook.

"Thanks for the breakfast, Sanji! I'm gonna go prepare for the festival!" Luffy grinned and waved at the blonde haired man who chuckled and went to clean the plate and frying pan.

The black haired boy ran outside and climbed up the stage he had made and painted, with the help of Sanji, yesterday. He lifted a hand to shield the morning sun from his eyes and stared out at the houses and people chattering below. The main street was starting to fill with people but the black haired boy knew that there would be more people coming. _Looks like everyone's excited about this year, too!_ He sat down on the competition stage and smiled merrily. _And I'll be able to meet Santoryu tonight._ Luffy felt his body warm up in happiness and he watched the minute hand of the white clock tower tick onto the '12'. It was now 9 o'clock. A loud _pop!_ rang through the town and streamers exploded from the top of the clock. Luffy grinned widely.

"Let's start the festival!" He shouted, throwing both arms in the air.

* * *

Zoro sat up straight in his futon and stretched his back, yawning widely. He blinked around the room wearily. _What time is it…?_ The green haired man trudged out his bedroom and found Chopper sitting in front of the door, his tail beating the floor of the dojo excitedly. Zoro chuckled and stooped down to pat the blue nosed dog on the head. Chopper stood up and ran to the front door. Then, he turned around, barking a few times at Zoro. The green haired man grinned and waved at Chopper.

"You go on. I'll get changed and find you at the festival." He smiled. The blue nosed dog seemed to smile and then bounded out the door excitedly. Zoro went back into his bedroom and changed into a simple green shirt and black pants. He strapped his three swords to his side, deciding that if Straw Hat would be wearing his hat, he should probably bring his three swords as well. The green haired man tapped the swords lightly and grinned to himself. _I'm going to meet Straw Hat today._

Zoro left the dojo and immediately heard the sounds of laughter from his left. He smirked. _At least I won't get lost that easily this time_... The green haired man sped off in the direction of the voices and laughter and after a few turns and dead ends, he found the main street faster than the day before. Zoro strolled into the main street and smiled at all the games and food extending up and down the street. _This should be fun. I wonder if they have beer here_... The green haired man rested an arm over his swords lazily and casually walked through the streets, surveying everything offered on the streets. Some barbecue, a dart game, a fruit drink of some sort, a wrestling match... booths and booths of games and food stretched endlessly as far as Zoro's eyes could go. _Grand Line Festival._ He smirked. _Well they sure got the name right._

The green haired man spotted a booth with beer and steak and he grinned, quickly jogging over to ask for a mug. The owner of the booth smiled kindly and handed him a mug of foamy beer and Zoro thanked him, taking the mug and gulping some of it down. _Good beer._ He nodded appreciatively, licking his lips and taking another drink. Suddenly, he heard a familiar voice shout from a few meters away and there was a loud cheering from the audience.

"And the victor is Monkey D. Luffy again! Thanks for trying, buddy." Sanji called out to the audience and patted the last challenger on the back. The challenger grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head before climbing off of the stage.

Zoro almost spluttered his beer out in surprise as he heard the name 'Luffy'. _Shit! He's nearby?_ The green haired man spotted the boy standing at the top of a huge obstacle course. Zoro ducked around the beer booth and smiled apologetically at the owner. Then, he returned his attention to the boy standing victoriously on the stage and dancing around in circles. The green haired man smirked and watched Luffy dance around happily onstage.

"Any more challengers? Anyone? Anyone?" The blonde cook called from his perch on top of the dojo roof. "You get three rounds, three tries, to beat Monkey D. Luffy and win this beautifully carved golden bell and bird! He might be getting tired after that last battle. You never know!" Sanji smiled and then eyed the energetic Luffy. The blonde shrugged at the audience. "Or maybe not..."

A few people from the audience chuckled and Sanji peered at them from the roof, spotting a hand raised high in the air. The blond smirked, recognizing the hand. "Oi, Kohza. You already tried once." The audience laughed kindly and Kohza pouted but kept his hand up in emphasis of his need to challenge Luffy. Sanji smiled. "All right, all right. Come on up, Kohza."

"Yes! You're going down this time, sensei!" The dark blonde haired boy quickly climbed up the obstacle course. The blue haired girl who had been standing beside Kohza giggled into her hands, watching her sensei and friend face off against each other. Suddenly, someone stood in front of her and blocked her view. The girl frowned slightly and pushed through the crowd, trying to find a better viewing spot. She finally found a more empty area with a decent view to the stage.

"Ready, idiots?" Sanji smirked and lit the cannon sitting next to him. A small ball of light flew into the air and exploded into a beautiful blue-green firework. "GO!"

Vivi laughed and watched excitedly as Kohza jumped through the tangle of ramps towards Luffy, who was standing on the opposite side in a ready stance. Suddenly, a familiar voice caught the blue haired girl's attention.

"Yeah, I convinced the others to go to Roronoa's dojo."

"Ha! They really left that stupid sensei for a cooler guy?"

"That's right. But you know I could beat Roronoa whenever I wanted."

"Really?!"

"Luffy, too."

Vivi blinked once and turned to look in the direction of the voices. _If I'm not mistaken_... she thought worriedly. The blue haired girl found a boy with hair slicked neatly back speaking with another boy with a large red nose. _Crocodile!_ She watched the boy chuckle and look up at the stage.

"I wish I had seen that idiot's face when he found out that his friends had ditched him for Roronoa." Crocodile smirked. "And Kohza, too. Those two bastards deserve to rot in hell for making a fool out of me, right Buggy?"

The red nosed boy grinned slyly. "So you've finally had your revenge?"

The dark haired boy frowned and glared at Buggy. "No, not yet. That's why I asked you to come here. Kohza will fight Luffy for two more rounds. I know that you're good with cannons. Shoot the stage down for me."

Buggy shrugged. "All right. But my debt to you will be paid, right?"

"That's right. Now get the cannon ready for their next match together."

Vivi gasped in shock and turned to look at the stage where Luffy and Kohza were sparring. _They're going to shoot at it? Luffy and Kohza will be hurt if they get hit! Somehow, I have to stop it_... She glanced around anxiously and spotted Buggy strolling off. The blue haired girl hurriedly sneaked off after the red nosed boy. She found him stepping into a house. The girl looked up and noticed through one of the tall windows that a large cannon was pointing outwards. An angry expression crossed her face. _If he shoots that thing, not only will Luffy and Kohza be hurt. The people below will get hit by the debris!_ Vivi ran towards the building. _I have to stop him!_

A pair of arms suddenly caught her tightly, locking her arms down by her sides. She gasped in surprise and struggled to get out of the hold.

"You're not going anywhere, girl." Crocodile's voice stated harshly from behind her. Vivi tensed and tried to glance behind her at the boy stopping her from getting to the building.

"You can't shoot that cannon! Luffy and Kohza! And the people!" She started struggling again. "They'll all be hurt in the blast!"

"Exactly," Crocodile smirked maliciously. Vivi stopped and tried to shoot a glare at the boy.

"You low-life..." She snarled through clenched teeth. With resolution, the girl lifted a foot and kicked it backwards so that it caught the boy in the groin. Crocodile gasped in pain and dropped her, falling to the ground in shock. Vivi smirked and ran off into the building. She stared at the window in horror, noticing that the window was now wide open, ready to fire. Vivi sprinted up the stairs of the building quickly. _I have to stop it!_

Crocodile stood up shakily and growled, running after the blue haired girl. _She'll pay for that!_ He sprinted furiously after the girl.

Vivi found the top floor of the room just as Buggy was ready to light the cannon.

"NO!" She jumped and tackled the red nosed boy to the ground. The blue haired girl stood up again and ran to push at the large cannon, trying to move it so that it aimed somewhere else. But it didn't move an inch. _It's not budging_... Vivi gritted her teeth, trying to push it with all her might.

"What the hell?!" Buggy groaned and sat up, rubbing his head in pain. Crocodile ran into the room and chuckled, watching Vivi push at the cannon futilely.

"Stupid girl. No matter how hard you try, your strength is no match to a man like me." He grinned. She shot him a glare.

"You have no right to call yourself a man!" The blue haired girl pushed at the cannon again. Crocodile frowned and walked over with a raised hand, slapping the girl across the face and sending her across the room.

"Buggy, shoot the cannon!" The boy with slicked hair glanced out the window and found Kohza climbing back off the stage and Luffy jumping around victoriously.

"Okay everyone. It's three o' clock. Break time!" Crocodile heard Sanji shout from the roof top. The boy growled and kicked the cannon in annoyance. Then, he turned to glare at the blue haired girl struggling to stand up.

"You bitch!" Crocodile kicked Vivi, causing her to sail across the floor a few feet, and then stepped on the girl's leg heavily, eliciting a cry from the girl. He stepped on the leg heavily again and Vivi clenched her teeth, staring back at Crocodile defiantly. The boy growled and punched her in the face. "You ruined my chance!" He glared down at the girl furiously and gave two more harsh steps on the weak leg. Vivi cried out as her leg bone gave up and snapped. The boy kicked the tortured leg and smirked. "Whatever. I'll think of something new. Don't interfere again, girl. You're weak. You can't do anything against me! And don't you dare say anything about this or the next time I attack, I swear I'll kill Luffy and Kohza." Crocodile snarled and then nodded to the red nosed boy standing in the corner of the room. "Come on, Buggy."

Vivi glared at the backs of the two boys and tried to move her leg. But it ached with pain and she winced, watching the leg start to swell a disgusting purple. She bit her lip and hit the ground with a clenched fist. _Dammit!_ She closed her eyes in frustration.

* * *

Zoro watched Luffy's movements in interest, smiling as the black haired boy stuck a tongue out at his opponent as he dodged a punch. He noticed a blue haired girl run out of the crowd hastily and into a building. S_he looks familiar_... The green haired man stared at the building and then shrugged inwardly, gulping down another chug of beer. He watched the last round of the match for a few more minutes and he chuckled as Luffy finished off Kohza quickly, sending the dark blonde boy back into the crowd. _That guy's fighting style is interesting_... Zoro eyed Luffy standing proudly on top of the stage, searching the crowd. The green haired man ducked instinctively behind the booth as the boy's gaze wandered towards him. He wouldn't risk confronting Luffy now. The wide smile on the boy's face was too nice to ruin. And if the boy saw him, he was sure that Luffy's smile would disappear. Zoro drained the last of his beer and asked for another mug just as Sanji called for a break. The audience started to disperse and he noticed Kohza standing in the audience calling out for someone. The green haired man blinked in confusion. _Maybe he can't find his parents?_

* * *

"Vivi! Oi!" Kohza shouted around, searching for the blue haired girl. _Where the hell did she go?_ "Oi, Vivi!" He tried again.

Luffy jumped down from the competition stage and landed smoothly next to the boy with dark blonde hair. He cocked his head in confusion. "You can't find Vivi?"

Kohza nodded seriously, scanning the dispersing crowd for his good friend. "Something's wrong. She's the one who usually finds me when I get down from the stage..."

"Hmm..." Luffy rubbed his chin thoughtfully. He glanced at the clock tower in the distance. "Well, I have a one hour break. Let's go look around for her."

Sanji hopped down next to them and placed a large sign in front of the competition stage. It read 'Out of Service'. He smiled at the two boys. "So, where are we going now?"

Luffy turned to the blonde haired man. "We're looking for Vivi."

"Vivi-chan?" Sanji looked around in surprise. The blue haired girl was nowhere in sight. The blonde cook frowned. "Let's go. Tell the people in town to look out for her, too. If we all look, it should be easier to find her."

And then they went their separate ways, calling the blue haired girl's name and telling the town people to notify them if they found her. The news spread quickly through town and Zoro heard the owner of the beer booth talking with a person who stood nearby.

"Did you hear? Vivi-chan's missing. We're all looking for her but no one's found anything yet."

The owner's eyes widened and he started cleaning one of the mugs anxiously with a piece of cloth. "That sweet little blue haired girl? Missing? That can't be..."

"It's true. We've been searching for half an hour already and still no sign of her."

Zoro stared at his mug of beer in thought. _A little blue haired girl_..._? Do they mean_... He leaned over to the two men speaking to each other. "I think I saw a blue haired girl run into that building over there." He pointed at the tall building. The two men looked at Zoro in surprise and then at each other.

"Hey, everyone! Tell Sanji to search in that building." The owner of the beer booth waved his hand in the direction of the tall white building. Zoro watched as a blonde haired man raced over anxiously.

"You've found her?" Sanji panted, his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath.

"Well, this guy says that he saw her enter that building over there."

The blonde haired man met the eyes of the green haired man. Sanji narrowed his eyes at Zoro but quickly turned away, deciding that any clue to where Vivi might be was more important than his grudge towards the swordsman. Zoro stared back and blinked. _It's that guy_..._and that means_...

"Sanji! You've found Vivi?!" Zoro heard Luffy's voice yell from a few feet away. The black haired boy and Kohza ran over to Sanji, panting slightly.

"Where is she?" Kohza breathed out and looked around anxiously. Zoro started to slip away but Sanji pointed at him before he could move any further away.

"That bastard said he saw Vivi-chan go into that building."

"Hm?" Luffy turned to look at Zoro. The green haired man froze in his spot behind the beer stand, wondering how the boy would react. The boy's eyes narrowed and turned away. "Oh, I see. So it's that building, right?"

Sanji glared at Zoro and nodded. Luffy kept his eyes on the building. "Well, at least we have a lead for where she might be. Let's go find her."

Kohza nodded and ran towards the building followed by Luffy and Sanji. He burst through the doors of the white building. "Vivi! Where are you?!" He shouted and started climbing up the steps winding upwards. The dark blonde haired boy found the injured girl clinging onto the wall, pulling herself down the stairs. "Vivi!" Kohza hurriedly helped the girl and let her lean on his shoulder. "What happened?"

Luffy raced up the steps and eyed the leg that Vivi was trying not to move too much. There was a bruise swelling on her face as well. His eyes narrowed. "Who did this to you?"

"Vivi-chan!" Sanji exclaimed, rushing over to help Kohza move her down the steps.

Luffy clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, his hair shadowing his eyes. "Was it Zoro?"

The blue haired girl looked up in shock. "No! Zoro didn't do anything." She watched her teacher relax slightly and she sighed in relief. _Zoro didn't do anything. The real culprit is_... Vivi bit her bottom lip worriedly.

Kohza growled, glaring at the steps and helping the girl down the stairs. "Then who did this to you?!"

"I..." Vivi bit her lip again and clenched her eyes shut so that she could shut out the fierce gaze Kohza was giving her. _I can't tell them_... _Crocodile will kill them if I do!_

Sanji observed the expressions crossing the girl's face and nodded. "It's all right, Vivi. Wait until you feel better and then tell us."

The blue haired girl nodded, turning away from the anxious gaze Kohza was casting upon her. She smiled. "It's okay, Kohza. I'm fine."

"Like hell you are!" The boy nearly shouted. "Who did this to you, dammit?!" He clenched his fists and teeth together. Luffy put a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Vivi will tell us in time." The black haired boy nodded and Kohza stared at the ground angrily.

"Come on." The dark blonde muttered. "Let's get your leg and face fixed."

They slowly made their way down and the crowd of people standing outside watched them exit the building, holding Vivi carefully. Zoro's eyes widened in shock as they brought out the girl in a battered mess. _What happened to her?!_ The green haired man saw Sanji shoot a glare at him. Did he think that he beat up the girl? But... he didn't do anything! Zoro took an unconscious step backwards and he turned his gaze onto Luffy nervously, wondering if the boy was accusing him as well. The boy had stony look on his face, as if in deep thought. The green haired man watched them enter another building where he suspected a doctor lived. Zoro ran a hand through his short hair and jogged towards them. _I have to tell them I didn't do anything to the girl._ He didn't want them to misunderstand him again. When had Luffy's friendship mattered so much to him? The swordsman didn't know himself but he didn't want Luffy to think any more badly of him than the boy already did.

The green haired man opened the door of the house tentatively, peering in to find the blue haired girl sitting on a bed and a blonde haired woman inspecting her leg carefully.

"Kaya-chan, will Vivi-chan be okay?" Sanji looked from the girl to the woman worriedly.

"She'll need to keep a cast on for a few weeks and she won't be able to train with Kohza-kun and Luffy-kun during that period of time. But afterwards, she should be fine." The blonde haired woman smiled kindly and dabbed at the bruise on Vivi's face. The blue haired girl winced and Kohza's hands clenched into fists again.

"Sensei..."

"Mm. We'll find whoever did this and kick their ass." Luffy nodded, speaking in a soft but angry voice. He glanced over to the door, noticing a familiar presence standing there. The boy tensed and he turned his eyes away from Zoro. The green haired man watched the boy's reaction carefully and felt himself tense in anxiety. Luffy didn't think he did that to the girl, did he?

Sanji spotted Zoro and glared at him.

"Vivi-chan said that you didn't do it. But I'm still suspicious."

Zoro grit his teeth and stared in frustration at the blonde haired man. He glanced at Luffy before locking eyes with Sanji again. _But, I didn't do it!_

"It really wasn't him!" The blue haired girl exclaimed, trying to protect the green haired man. _He's a victim of Crocodile's plans, too._ She thought sadly.

Sanji glared at Zoro for a few more seconds before sighing and crossing his arms over his chest. "If you say so, Vivi-chan. But I still don't like him."

Zoro stared at the people inside and decided to back out of the house, feeling extremely unwelcome. At least he knew that they didn't think he hurt the girl named Vivi. _She must be a really important friend to Luffy._ The green haired man smiled sadly and took a step back towards the front door. "Um... sorry for intruding." He nodded a farewell to them and sighed as he closed the door behind him. He hadn't had many lucky days since he came to Raftel, huh? But, he still looked forward to meeting with Straw Hat at last. The green haired man looked up at the white clock tower in the distance. Four o' clock. Zoro sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, trekking down the main road again. _Three more hours to go_...

* * *

Luffy let out a sigh as he heard the green haired man leave Kaya's house. Why did Zoro come anyway? Was the green haired man worried about Vivi? The black haired boy frowned. Yeah right. As if a guy who betrayed their friend could care about a stranger. He turned to Vivi and gave her a small smile. "So you'll be okay, right?"

"Mmhm!" The blue haired girl smiled back causing Luffy to grin.

"Good! I'm starving! Let's get something to eat when you're ready!" The black haired boy jumped around excitedly, deciding to forget his troubles for the moment. There was a festival! They should be enjoying it while it lasted.

Kohza rubbed his temples, irritated by his teacher's quick recovery from finding Vivi beat up in an empty building. He turned his attention on the blue haired girl.

"Are you sure you're okay?" The boy with dark blonde hair stared at Vivi with a stern gaze. The blue haired girl giggled.

"Worried about me so much? That's not like you, Kohza." She smiled as the boy turned away, blushing with embarrassment. "I'm fine. I already said so when Luffy asked."

Kaya smiled. "Yes, as long as you all look out for her and don't let her use that leg until it mends then she'll be fine. I'll get a wheelchair so you can all still enjoy the festival. The Mirangu trees have bloomed very beautifully this year, too. It would be a pity to miss out on the rest of the festival!"

Sanji smiled teasingly at the blonde haired woman. "You do understand that you just agreed to setting that monster," He pointed at Luffy, "on all the food stalls in town, right?"

Kaya laughed and helped Vivi into the wheelchair set up in front of the bed. "Okay, you're ready to go. Don't move that leg, all right?" She waved at them as they left the house. "Have fun!"

Sanji left the house and realized that they still had to go back to the competition stage. The blonde haired man shrugged. _Whatever._ He had put up the 'Out of Service' sign in front of the stage anyway. He glanced at the white clock tower and nodded. "All right, let's make an exception this year. We can go eat and play for more than an hour." He grinned and watched as Luffy jumped up in the air with glee, punching the air with a fist. "But, Luffy, don't forget that we'll be coming back after an hour and fifty minutes. You still have work to do."

The black haired boy pouted sadly. "But you're letting me go again at six-thirty, right?" He still had to meet Santoryu tonight!

Sanji put a hand on his hip and sighed, waving his other hand at the boy as if he were shooing him away. "Yeah, yeah. You get off at six-thirty."

Luffy jumped in the air with glee again, hopping around Vivi in circles before running off in a direction of a food stall. "Yosh! Food!" Kohza grinned at his teacher and wheeled Vivi after him. Sanji followed shortly afterward, chuckling fondly.

* * *

A dark haired woman smiled in content as she flipped through a book she had picked out from the booth she was standing in front of. Suddenly, she heard someone from the next stall complaining. Robin looked up from the book and glanced over to the nearby stall curiously. She spotted a familiar orange haired girl pointing at one of the clothes sitting in the booth and shouting.

"It's too expensive for me. Can't you lower the price more? 100 keri?" Nami smiled as sweetly as she could. The owner of the booth stared at her in shock.

"I can't go any lower than 500 keri. I still have a family to feed, you know?"

"Well, then what about 200 keri?"

"400."

"Never mind, I think I'll go to that stall instead."

"Wait! 300 keri?"

"200."

"250?"

"Deal!" Nami smiled, passing a few coins to the booth owner and plucked up the shirt from the booth, admiring it proudly. Robin paid for her book and walked over to the girl, smiling softly. The orange haired girl reminded her of another friend she had been writing to overseas. Could life really be so coincidental?

"That was a good deal." Robin nodded at the shirt.

Nami looked from her new shirt to the dark haired woman making her way over. "Oh! Hi... um..."

"Robin. And you are Nami?"

The orange haired girl smiled and nodded. She had a feeling that they would become good friends. The two women made their way to a nearby booth, which was selling fruit drinks, and settled down to chat.

Usopp ran past the two girls quickly, without noticing the two, checking the white clock tower in the distance. _It's close to six now_... He ran straight through the main street, past a large stage with a black haired boy dodging the blows thrown at him. Usopp watched the boy fight for a moment before shaking his head and glancing around at the people anxiously, hoping that he wouldn't be late. He turned a few corners and made his way to the dojo he had designed. _Whew_... The long nosed boy wiped away the beads of sweat running down his head. _Zoro should get back soon_... _I just need to wait for him to get here._

Usopp noticed a dog sitting in the courtyard sleepily and the boy smiled, jogging over to join Chopper in his nap. _Just a few minutes of sleep won't hurt._ The long nosed boy smiled and lay on the grass of the courtyard peacefully.

* * *

"And Luffy is the victor again... Surprise, surprise." Sanji drawled from his perch on the roof. "Well, that's it everyone. Show's over. It's six-thirty and Luffy wants to go. So, until next year then!" The blonde haired man waved at the dispersing crowd below. "Oi, Luffy. You wanted to leave, right?" He called to the black haired boy.

Luffy panted, out of breath from the consecutive battles he had been in. He looked up at Sanji and grinned. "Yep, thanks Sanji! I'm gonna be gone for a while."

"Okay." The blonde haired man nodded before Luffy jumped off of the stage and started to run back into the dojo. Sanji sighed and ran a hand through his blonde hair, glancing at the darkening sky. _It's a nice festival this year. Maybe I should've gotten a girl to take out tonight?_ He sighed and looked out over the people walking past on the main street. Then, he noticed an orange haired beauty walking down the main street with Robin. Sanji gasped as he recognized the two women. _Nami-san and Robin-chan!_

The blonde haired man immediately jumped off of the roof and kneeled in front of the two ladies, holding a hand over his heart. "Oh, how wonderful it is for us to meet again, lovely Nami-san. Is it fate that brings us together?" He sighed. Robin chuckled and waved good bye to the orange haired girl.

"What?" Nami blinked once and stared at Sanji before watching Robin leave. "Wait! Don't leave me with him!" She groaned as the dark haired woman disappeared in the heads of people on the street. _Now what?_ Nami glanced down at the blonde haired man on his knees, inching closer and closer to her with a heart in his visible eye. _What's wrong with him?_ She stared at him nervously.

"Beautiful Nami-san! Just absolutely gorgeous. A goddess no one is worthy of!" Sanji gushed passionately. Nami bit her lip, trying to fight back her laughter. _But, maybe he can be of use_...

"Sanji-kun..." She smiled, pursing her lips together sexily. "Won't you do me a favor?"

"Anything for Nami-san!"

"I need to find Zoro before seven. Do you think you can help me find him?"

"Of course, Nami-san!"

The orange haired woman nodded appreciatively and noticed from the corner of her eye Luffy running out of the dojo with a straw hat planted firmly upon his head. She stared after the boy curiously. _Where's he going?_ Nami eyed the boy and watched him run towards the white clock tower in the distance. _Hmm_... She stared at the time thoughtfully. _It's fifteen minutes to seven_...

"Nami-san! I found the marimo for you!" Sanji smiled and then frowned slightly. "But why do you want to find him? And there was a long nosed boy with him. Do you know who he is?"

One of Nami's elegant eyebrows rose up in a perfect look of confusion. "Usopp? With Zoro? Where are they now?"

Sanji frowned again and pointed at the mop of green hair protruding among the heads of the crowd. Nami smiled and grabbed the blonde haired man's arm, pulling him along and following after Zoro.

"Come with me."

Sanji blinked in surprise as he was dragged along by the orange haired woman. She was going to take him with her? He shrugged and smiled, enjoying the feel of the woman's hands linked around his arm.

"Yes, Nami-san!"

* * *

"We're coming closer to the clock tower." Usopp whispered to the stiff looking green haired man standing beside him. "This is where you're going to meet your friend, Straw Hat, right?"

"Yeah." Zoro nodded nervously. "What do you think he'll look like?"

"Well, he'll be wearing a straw hat, right?" Usopp stated sarcastically and stared at Zoro skeptically. "Why are you so nervous?"

"I'm not nervous!" The green haired man whispered harshly and stared at the white clock tower. 7 o' clock. "Just... excited to meet a new friend..."

_Doesn't look like it._ Usopp stared at the man pointedly. Zoro had been walking stiffly next to him ever since they had gotten close to the white tower. The long nosed boy raised an eyebrow at the man and shrugged. "Okay, well let's go meet him, then." He started to walk towards the clock tower looming above them, but a rough hand on his shoulder stopped him. The boy tried walking forward again but the hand pulled him back. Usopp sighed and turned to stare at Zoro with exasperation. What the hell was this guy doing?!

"Do you want to meet him or not?"

"Will you... go check for me?" The green haired man stared at Usopp, keeping his hand on the boy's shoulder. Usopp stared back in irritation at his friend's strange behavior. He knew that Zoro wouldn't let go of him until he promised that he would go check.

"All right, all right. I'll go check him for you. Just let me go." Usopp felt the tense hand slowly edge away and the long nosed boy was half tempted to turn and bolt from the situation he was in. But he restrained himself and shrugged. _All I need to do is just sneak up, take a peek, and then come back to Zoro. Nothing to be afraid of._ He walked casually to the clock tower and peeked around one side of the white tower. There were a few people standing around. But no straw hat. Usopp edged over to another side of the clock tower. There! Someone wearing a straw hat, staring up at the sky. The long nosed boy gestured to Zoro, trying to get him to walk over. The green haired man complied and jogged over as quietly as possible.

"You found him?" Zoro whispered softly.

"Yeah." Usopp nodded. "A guy with a straw hat, right? He's standing over there."

Zoro leaned against the wall of the clock tower. This was it. They were finally going to meet! The beating of his heart picked up in speed and he smiled at Usopp. "So what does he look like?"

"Well..." The long nosed boy peered around the corner again. "He's wearing sandals... a red sleeveless top... blue jeans..."

Zoro nodded, trying to imagine what Straw Hat might look like. "And?"

"He looks like a nice guy. Messy black hair and wait... there's a scar under his left eye! Might be a little dangerous..."

The green haired man blinked once. _Messy black hair and a scar under his left eye?_ That reminded him of...

Usopp scratched his head. "He looks kind of like a guy I saw fighting on a competition stage today..."

_It can't be._ Zoro stared straight off into the air in front of him. _Straw Hat can't be_... _Luffy?_ He pushed Usopp away from the wall and took his place, peering around the side of the white tower anxiously. The green haired man's eyes widened as the truth struck him. _It's Luffy! Straw Hat is Luffy_... The person he had been writing to all this time had been Luffy...! Zoro took a step backwards and then turned, starting to walk briskly away. Usopp blinked in surprise and jogged after the swordsman.

"Hey, hey! What are you doing?" Usopp jogged along side of the green haired man. "You're just gonna leave him there all night, waiting for you?"

"...yeah." Zoro didn't look up. _Straw Hat is Luffy_... _and Luffy hates me._ And that meant that Straw Hat hated him. The one he had been writing to for over a month and had grown so attached to actually _hated_ him. Without even knowing it, he had in fact lost not one, but two good friends in a matter of days. His walking pace quickened and he disappeared around a corner with Usopp following behind him in concern.

* * *

**To be continued...**


	5. Our little secrets

* * *

**- 5 -**

* * *

Luffy rocked back and forth on his heels, staring up at the sky idly. He smiled happily and put a hand to hold down his straw hat as a strong wind blew past. _I'm going to meet Santoryu today_... _right now_... _at any moment!_ His smile grew wider and he rocked on his heels excitedly. The black haired boy stopped rocking and scratched his chin. The day would've been better if he had found Zoro and beat the man up on stage... but he wouldn't complain! The boy grinned and started rocking back and forth on his feet again._ I'm going to meet Santoryu now!_ Luffy heard a shuffle from nearby and his head spun quickly to face the one who made the noise. He found a stray dog cautiously staring back at him and he sighed, moving backwards to lean against the wall of the tower. Luffy glanced up at the large clock. Seven thirty... He had already waited for thirty minutes. Where was Santoryu? Maybe he was lost? Or couldn't get here on time for some reason? 

He heard a few footsteps nearby and watched a couple walk by, laughing. Luffy watched them go past and he stared at the ground idly. At that moment, he felt someone's eyes on him and the boy looked up to find a familiar green haired man walking casually towards him. _It's Zoro!_ He thought frantically and looked around for a place to hide. The boy quickly sat down and pulled the hat over his head as if he were asleep.

Zoro watched as the boy looked left and right before dropping down and pulling the hat over his head. The green haired man chuckled and walked closer to crouch in front of the boy. He could hear loud, fake snores coming from Luffy.

"Hey, Luffy."

The snores stopped abruptly and the boy moved the hat away from his face to his lap. He started to scowl at Zoro irritably.

"What do you want? Can't you see I'm trying to sleep?"

"Can I sit here?"

"No, you can't sit here. Because I'm sitting here!" Luffy stared at Zoro angrily. The green haired man paid no attention to the boy's comment and settled himself down next to the boy. Luffy shuffled away, as if Zoro carried a contagious disease. "What are you doing here?"

"Are you waiting for someone?" The green haired man smirked at the boy. Luffy blew steam from his nose indignantly. He didn't like the casual attitude Zoro was giving him. It was too _cool_. As if he hadn't betrayed their friendship at all. As if nothing had ever happened between them and they could just start anew. But Luffy wasn't about to let the green haired man get away with what he had done to him!

"None of your business." The boy frowned. Suddenly, he heard someone step on a stick nearby and he quickly turned to find a strange man with heavy make up wearing ballet shoes and swan wings on his back dance past him.

"I'm assuming that's not the one you're waiting for." Zoro chuckled and thanked himself for remembering to remove his swords when Usopp had brought him home. Otherwise, Luffy would probably recognize him as Santoryu. Zoro stared fondly at the boy. Even though Luffy hated him in reality, Straw Hat still liked Santoryu. And the green haired man couldn't just ignore his growing affections for the person he had been writing and opening himself to. _This is Straw Hat. The one who I wrote all those letters to. And the one who wrote letters back to me._ Maybe he could keep his identity a secret and still be friends with the black haired boy through mail? Zoro didn't want to lose any more friends.

Luffy frowned at the man's comment. Was he just here to laugh at him? The boy turned away from Zoro so that the green haired man got a full view of his back. "Go sit somewhere else. Don't bother me."

Zoro stared at Luffy for a while before sighing and shuffling away so that he sat further away from the boy.

Luffy peeked over at Zoro, checking to see if the man was further away from him. He nodded approvingly when he found the man sitting at the other corner of the wall. The boy stared up at the clock again. Seven forty-five. _Where is Santoryu?_ He stared at the ground dully before turning to look at Zoro again curiously. He found the green haired man sitting cross-legged on the ground, facing him, and staring straight back at him. Their eyes met and Luffy turned around quickly, forcing away the embarrassing blush rising in his cheeks. _Damn! Why the hell is he looking at me?!_

The boy heard footsteps and Zoro walked in front of him, crouching down to stare at the boy in annoyance. Luffy felt as if the man was challenging him and he locked his eyes with Zoro's, trying to keep them from blinking. Then, Zoro broke the eye contact and ran a hand through his short green hair irritably.

"You know, the person you are looking for isn't coming anymore..." He glanced to the side and then back at the boy who looked shocked and angry. _Great, Zoro. Now you just got him to be angrier at you._ The man sighed inwardly, accepting the fact that he never really had a way with words.

"How do you know he's not coming?" Luffy stared angrily at the green haired man, challenging him to say anything back. "Do you think I'd trust something you'd tell me? You took my students from me and you lied to me! Now you're telling me that my friend isn't coming?"

Zoro stared at the boy sitting in front of him with a blank face. Luffy was probably starting to hate him even more, right? And that accusing gaze was coming. The man could feel the frustration radiating from the boy in front of him. He even noticed the suppressed hurt in the depths of those brown eyes and Zoro's chest wrenched in anger and irritation. Anger at himself for causing his friend's smiles to disappear and irritation at himself for bringing the boy pain, rather than comfort.

"All right. I get it. I'll go." The green haired man said in a stony voice. If he left, maybe the boy would feel better.

"No! You don't get it!" Luffy cried in fury and his straw hat rolled out of his lap as he stood up over the green haired man. The boy clenched his hands, staring down at Zoro. "Do you know what it's like to have your friends taken away from you in a day? They're here, happy with you, and then the next day, they're all gone! Gone to _you_! Never to visit again! And you're probably one of those people who don't even know how to appreciate their friends, right? No wonder you could throw away our friendship so quickly. You like money more then friendship, huh?" Luffy turned away from Zoro angrily and his chest heaved up and down as he finished pouring out his emotions. His eyes narrowed as he said in finality. "I _hate_ people like you."

The green haired man stared at the boy and slowly picked up the straw hat that had rolled onto the ground. Then, he placed it softly on Luffy's head. _I'm sorry._

"I get it. I'll go now."

Luffy tensed and he turned around instantly in regret. "Ah, wait! Zoro... I didn't mean all of that... you're probably not that kind of person... um..." He stared down at his feet, ashamed of himself. He had gotten too caught up in his anger that most of the words had just exploded from his mouth without thought. Did he even mean it all? He knew that he didn't actually hate Zoro. And it probably wasn't the man's fault that his students never came by to visit him at the dojo again. But what could he do to take back everything he had just said? Would a mere apology suffice? Luffy glanced up at the green haired man and opened his mouth to speak. "Zoro... I..."

"It's okay. I can understand how you're feeling. I'm sorry for everything that I did to you." The green haired man watched the boy stare back down at his feet in shame. Zoro gave the boy a small, sad smile before turning away and leaving. Even if Luffy hated him so much, he hoped that the boy wouldn't stop writing letters to Santoryu.

Luffy looked up, hearing the footsteps tread away gently and he looked up at the clock tower. 8 o'clock...

* * *

Nami and Sanji peeked from around the white clock tower, watching Zoro walk away from Luffy. 

"That bastard... making Luffy like that!" The blonde haired man gritted his teeth angrily.

"Poor Zoro..." The orange haired girl sighed sadly.

The two eavesdroppers looked at each other and started whispering to each other.

"What do you mean, poor _Zoro_? Look at what he did to Luffy!"

"Yeah, but Luffy was a little too harsh, right? Zoro's never really had any friends to cherish!"

"Well, if marimo never had friends... that would be another story... but wait! That doesn't make any sense! The bastard was friends with Luffy already before he stomped all over it!"

"But, he didn't do anything like that! The students came over to our dojo by their own will!"

Sanji stared at Nami for a while, contemplating her argument before grinning goofily.

"Nami-san is so lovely when she talks back!" He cooed, almost turning into mush at her feet. She sighed and rubbed her temples.

"This is so troublesome... but we still haven't found out why the two met here tonight..."

"Well, they didn't actually meet. Luffy was already waiting here and Zoro came here twice." Sanji rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Did you notice anything different from the first and second time Zoro came? Why would he come twice?"

"Hm..." Nami stared at Luffy who had sat down against the wall of the clock tower again. "The first time, Usopp was with him. And then the second time... he didn't have his swords with him...?"

Sanji blinked momentarily. "He wears three swords, right?"

"Yeah, that's right." Nami nodded. They stared at each other skeptically.

"Where are you, Santoryu?" The two heard Luffy mutter from his spot against the wall.

"Santoryu again! He's waiting for Santoryu?" Sanji stared at Luffy in irritation. The orange haired woman raised an elegant eyebrow at the blonde haired man.

"How do you two know that nickname?"

"What?" Sanji turned to stare at Nami.

"I picked a nickname for Zoro when I forced him to sign up for the Merry Post Office program... it was Santoryu."

"Santoryu... is Zoro!" Sanji whispered in realization. "And Luffy is waiting for Santoryu!"

Nami hit her head with the palm of her hand. "Great. So the one Zoro has been writing to was Luffy all this time? So when I got all those students to join, not only did I end the friendship between Luffy and Zoro but also between Santoryu and..."

"Straw Hat. That's Luffy's nickname." Sanji nodded. "I was wondering why the idiot brought his treasured hat out... But wait... you're the one who did all this?"

Nami stared at Sanji shyly, realizing that the man wasn't as stupid as he looked. "Not really... I just convinced them to join our dojo..."

"So... you work for Zoro?!" The blonde haired man stared at her in shock.

"Well... you could say that I'm his fiancé…" She smiled sheepishly. Sanji's jaw dropped to the ground.

"But... but...!" The blonde haired man stepped backwards. "Oh! My heart is broken to pieces! The beautiful goddess is engaged to... to...that ugly demon!"

Nami sighed and dragged the cook away from the clock tower. "Enough with the dramatics. You're making too much noise. Luffy might notice us! Let's go back to the festival. I have to sort through all this new information..."

When they were far enough, she turned to face the blonde haired man seriously, holding up her index finger. "Listen, Sanji-kun. We can't tell anyone what we know. Especially Zoro and Luffy. We could make things worse than it already is so this night will be a secret between us, all right?" The blonde cook nodded obediently, understanding what she meant.

They both walked back in silence and reached the main street again, now lit up with the red lanterns. The whole street seemed to glow against the darkness of the sky and surrounding houses. Sanji stopped in his tracks, refusing to be dragged any further, and Nami paused to look at the blonde haired man curiously.

"But, Nami-san...?" He started, his face turned to the side so that the long bangs in front of one eye now blocked both eyes from sight.

"What, Sanji-kun?" She sighed, trying to keep her temper in check. What could've caused the blonde haired man to act so strange again? Couldn't he just leave her now?

"You... don't love him, do you?" Sanji muttered, turning back to smile sheepishly at her and rubbing his neck nervously. Nami blinked for a moment as the question suddenly hit her like a ton of bricks.

"I..." She stared at the blonde haired man and then glanced to the side. _What's with this question all of a sudden? Do I love Zoro?_

Sanji's eyes widened as he realized what he had just asked. "Oh! I'm sorry for asking such a personal question... I just..."

Nami smiled and shook her head. "It's all right. I'm not sure if I love Zoro anyway... But... I guess I'll know sooner or later."

Sanji smiled and looped an arm over her shoulder, giving the orange haired woman a comforting hug. "I'm sure you'll know soon." The girl smiled and they stood there in silence for a moment. Then, she pushed the man's arm away.

"Okay, just because I don't know if I love Zoro, doesn't mean you can start pulling moves on me."

The blonde haired man knelt before her obediently. "Yes, Nami-san!"

The orange haired woman laughed and pointed to one of the booths nearby, putting her worries behind her for the moment. _It's a festival today. Why not enjoy it?_ She smiled and pulled Sanji along, deciding to forget about the whole Zoro and Luffy ordeal for the moment.

* * *

"Now where am I?" The green haired man stared at his surroundings impatiently. All he wanted to do was to forget what Luffy had said. He wanted to forget that accusing gaze Luffy had given him. He just wanted to get back to the dojo and go to sleep, dammit. That's all he wanted! So why couldn't someone just help him get back home?! Zoro groaned and walked down another alley, hoping that he would finally make his way back to the dojo. 

Chopper jumped in front of him, barking happily. The green haired man stared at the blue nosed dog in surprise and smiled softly, crouching down the pet the dog.

"Thank god you're here, Chopper. Can you take me home?"

The blue nosed dog stared at him in concern before heading down another street to his right and Zoro followed after him eagerly. When they finally reached the dojo, Chopper rushed in and sat in the courtyard, barking merrily. The green haired man smiled and laid down beside the blue nosed dog in exhaustion. Zoro stared up, past the large Mirangu tree overhead, and into the dark sky. _What time is it? Is Luffy still waiting_... The man stared at the faint stars in the sky but even they failed to calm his restlessness.

"_I hate people like you."_

The words rang loudly in his mind, as if echoing into the night. The green haired man grit his teeth in frustration and then tried to relax. Zoro took a deep intake of breath and then let it out slowly, feeling the anxiety in his heart trickle away as he breathed. He closed his eyes and covered them with a hand. _Stop thinking about him. Just go to sleep._ Zoro breathed in and out again, trying to calm his heavy heart.

* * *

Luffy walked back to his dojo half asleep. The last time he checked the clock tower, it had read twelve o'clock, midnight. _Santoryu didn't come_... He thought and sluggishly dragged himself into his bedroom and pulled out a piece of paper. 

_Dear Santoryu,_

_Where_

And then the boy collapsed onto the table in exhaustion, snoring away. His straw hat rolled off of his head and onto the floor dully. The next morning, the boy crawled out of his bed slowly and rubbed his eyes. He yawned and stretched his arms, then blinked as he spotted his straw hat sitting on the table. Wait... how did he get back in bed? The boy scratched his head and shrugged, opting to shuffle to his table slowly and sit back down, reading the piece of paper on the table. _Oh yeah_... _Santoryu didn't come yesterday._ Luffy sighed and raised his pen up, getting ready to write a letter to his friend. _I'm sure Santoryu must've had a pretty good reason, though. I hope he didn't get hurt or anything!_ He started scribbling a few sentences on the paper and then paused. _I met Zoro yesterday, though_... Luffy frowned and scribbled some more sentences on the paper and folded it before writing a 'To: Santoryu' on the envelope and tucking the letter neatly in.

The boy stood up, clutching the envelope in hands gently. _I'll send it after some breakfast._ He nodded to himself and cheered himself up by the thought of Sanji's good food. Luffy jogged into the kitchen and found no one around. The black haired boy stared inside in confusion. _Sanji's usually here at breakfast_... _where could he be now?_

Luffy sped down the hall towards the blonde haired cook's room and knocked gently.

"Sanji? Are you inside?" The boy asked and opened the door, peering in cautiously. No one in sight. "That's odd..."

"Luffy?" The boy heard Sanji's voice from the front door and he spun around to grin at the blonde haired man holding a paper bag in his hands.

"Sanji! There you are. I was wondering why you weren't cooking breakfast!"

"Breakfast?" The blonde haired man blinked in confusion. "But it's twelve o'clock in the afternoon."

Luffy's eyes bugged in shock and his jaw opened. "I missed breakfast?! It's lunchtime?!"

"You looked really exhausted when I went to check up on you." Sanji smiled, heading towards the kitchen with his groceries. "So I put you in bed and didn't wake you up for breakfast. Vivi and Kohza went back home when they couldn't wake you up. So, did you stay up really late last night?"

Luffy's smile faltered as he entered the kitchen with Sanji. "Well... I went to meet Santoryu yesterday night... I didn't tell you because you always frown when I say his name. You don't seem to really like him, so..."

_Damn right._ The blonde haired man growled to himself but feigned innocence and turned around to look at Luffy in surprise. "You met with Santoryu?"

"Well... that's the problem." Sanji watched in anger as the boy shuffled his foot uncomfortably. _Stupid seaweed head_...

"What happened, Luffy?" He asked a little harsher than he had meant. The black haired boy looked up with a forced smile.

"He didn't show up."

Sanji grit his teeth in frustration and he turned away, shoving the groceries one by one into the refrigerator. "That bastard."

Luffy blinked as he heard Sanji's comment and the boy quickly shook his hands in defense for Santoryu. "No, I'm sure he had a good reason for not coming! He might have been in an accident. I'm gonna send him a letter soon and then he'll send one back with an explanation. I'm sure he will!"

Sanji shut the door of the refrigerator as calmly as he could and turned to watch the boy ramble on.

"In fact, I'll go send my letter now since it's not breakfast! I'll be back soon, Sanji. Make me lunch!"

"Wait, Luffy! Santoryu... he's... you..." The blonde haired man trailed off and then sighed, remembering Nami's words yesterday. _I could make it worse than it already is_... Sanji's eyes narrowed in frustration but he quickly masked it with a smirk and waved the black haired boy away. "Never mind. I'll get your lunch ready."

Luffy gave the blonde haired cook an appreciative smile. "Thanks, Sanji! I'll be back soon."

* * *

Nami carefully studied the green haired man sleeping in the middle of the courtyard. She stared at him for a long time in deep thought. 

"_You_... _don't love him, do you?"_

She closed her eyes and rubbed her temples before walking back into the kitchen. _Damn that idiotic guy and his damn questions about my love life._ The orange haired woman sighed, sitting down in her seat at the table, absent mindedly stirring a cup of orange tea on the table. She looked down at it and suddenly remembered the taste of the bubbly orange drink Sanji had made for her when they had first met. The girl frowned and pushed the tea away. Ever since she had been with Sanji at the festival, she couldn't stop thinking about him. It was plain annoying! She couldn't focus on anything for more than a few minutes. Nami stood up again, walking out of the kitchen to kneel in front of the sleeping swordsman. The girl leaned over and stared at the man in the face. He was snoring lightly and she observed his facial features. He wasn't bad looking but... why had she agreed to marrying him again? Because he had money...? Nami watched Zoro's sleeping face.

"I love money." She stated, narrowing her eyes at the green haired man, sound asleep in the courtyard. The girl smirked and tried again. "I love attention."

Suddenly, Sanji's timid voice rang in her mind again.

"_You_... _don't love him, do you?"_

"I..." Nami stared at Zoro skeptically. "I don't..." What was she doing? All of this was stupid... She closed her eyes and then opened them again, as if she had made an important decision.

"I don't love you."

The green haired man seemed to grunt and then he rolled over on his side, snoring lightly. Nami watched his movements in surprise before sighing in relief and standing up. _I don't love him_... _And_... _Zoro doesn't love me!_ The idea seemed to strike her in the head, just as Sanji's question had done yesterday night.She walked towards the kitchen and turned back to look at Zoro again. Maybe they weren't meant for each other. And maybe they needed someone else...? She pulled out a sheet of paper and pen, scribbling a few things on it. The orange haired girl laid the paper and pen on the table and left to her bedroom quickly.

* * *

Usopp ran in the front door of the dojo eagerly and found the green haired man sit up in the courtyard, rubbing his eyes sleepily. 

"Oi! Zoro! You just woke up? The Merry Post just came in for you and me! Here." The long nosed boy put the letter in front of the groggy green haired man and plopped down in the courtyard, opening his own letter eagerly. "I have a letter for Nami, too. You know where she might be now?"

"Hm?" Zoro looked up and glanced around the dojo. _That's weird_... _she'd usually wake me up by now_... He stood up and walked towards the kitchen. On the table, he found a sheet of paper with Nami's handwriting. The green haired man rubbed his eyes again and picked up the paper.

_Dear Zoro,_

_I've been happy with you ever since you asked me to be your fiancé. And I'm still happy now. But, I don't feel like we truly love each other. I'm sure you have that feeling, too. Right? We might be happy now but I feel that if we don't truly love each other, we will be missing something. So I don't want to get in your way of true love and I don't want you to get in my way of true love. So, I guess I'm breaking off the engagement. I still like you though and we can be good friends. If you ever need someone to talk to, just find me. I'll be at Robin's house. If you don't know who Robin is, ask around. Don't worry about me. And remember that you have classes starting next week again! I put a schedule on the refrigerator for you._

_With love and thanks,_

_Nami_

_PS. I hope you become friends with Luffy again. Don't give up!_

The green haired man stared at the words on the paper in surprise and noticed something shiny on the table. It was the ring he had given her when he had proposed. Zoro picked up the small diamond ring and stared at it wordlessly. _She left._ He blinked in surprise and set the ring back down. He walked out of the kitchen in a daze. What was more shocking was how he didn't feel hurt at all. No wrenching sadness. No emptiness or even dullness. It was as if nothing had actually changed. He blinked again as he walked over to the long nosed boy sitting in the courtyard. _I guess I didn't love her back either_...

"Zoro?" Usopp stared at the green haired man in confusion. Zoro passed the piece of paper with Nami's handwriting to the long nosed boy and then sat down in the courtyard, staring at the letter Straw Hat had written him. _Luffy wrote this_... It sat in the grass, beckoning him to open it up. Zoro started to chuckle at the irony of everything.

Usopp stared at the paper in horror before turning to stare at Zoro in concern.

"Hey, are you all right?"

Zoro laughed and held his stomach, trying to control his laughter. The long nosed boy quickly scooted over, putting a comforting hand on Zoro's shoulder. The green haired man chuckled again and picked up the letter written by Straw Hat. He stared at it, turning it over to find the familiar words 'To: Santoryu' on the front.

"Usopp?"

"Yeah, Zoro?" The boy asked worriedly.

"Nami wrote something about true love." Zoro smiled and stared at the letter in his hands. "What do you think she meant?"

"Well... I guess the one you're meant to be with." Usopp shrugged, watching the green haired man suspiciously. Zoro turned to gaze at the boy.

"Do you think I'm meant to be with anyone?"

The long nosed boy's eyes widened. "I... uh... I don't know..."

"It seems like everyone I meet gets farther away in the end..." The man turned his gaze to the ground. Nami had moved out and Luffy still hated him even though all he wanted was to become friends with the boy...

"Well... if it helps... I'm still here. Chopper, too." Usopp grinned at the green haired man. Zoro looked back up and smirked. The long nosed boy smiled and pointed at the letter in the man's hands. "Besides, you still have a good friend there. I mean, he's still sending letters to you even after you left him waiting there. Hey, he could be your true love!" Usopp shrugged playfully.

Zoro's muscles tensed at the boy's comment. _Straw Hat_..._? Luffy_..._? My true_... _love?_

Usopp's playful smile faded away, sensing that he must've said something wrong.

"Err... it was just a joke!" The long nosed boy laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head. "I didn't mean to question your sexual preference...! You two are just good friends!"

Zoro turned to eye Usopp curiously. And then he stared at the envelope in his hands. What? Could he really be in love with the black haired boy?! The man started remembering the times when he waited eagerly for Straw Hat's next letter and the warm feeling that filled his chest whenever he received a new letter. It was like he was opening a present that he knew contained the things he wanted. Zoro smiled fondly at the letter in his hands. _Can a person fall in love just through letters_... Then, without another moment's hesitation, the green haired man opened the letter and read the text.

_Dear Santoryu,_

_Where were you? Maybe I didn't see you when you came by? I'm really sorry if I did. I screwed up another meeting_..._ But, if you didn't come by_... _then why? Last night, I was waiting for you and then someone else that I didn't really want to meet with came instead. I said a lot of things that were probably really mean_... _and I felt awful afterward. I guess that's the bad thing about not liking another person. You say things that you don't really mean to say out loud and then you can't take them back. I wonder how I'm going to act around that person now_..._? Anyway, I just wanted to ask why you weren't there last night. Please write soon!_

_Sincerely,_

_Straw Hat_

His gut made strange flips as the green haired man read through the letter. _These feelings_... They were almost indescribable. He felt guilty, happy, and worried all at once. The man clenched the letter in his hands and walked towards his bedroom. Usopp watched him walk off.

"Zoro...?"

The green haired man turned to give the long nosed boy a smile. "Thanks, Usopp." And then, he disappeared into his bedroom. The boy sat in the courtyard with uncertainty.

"You're... welcome?"

Zoro picked up a pen quickly and pulled out a piece of paper.

_Dear Luffy,_

_I'm sorry about last night. I couldn't make it because_

The green haired man stared at the writing with narrowed eyes and quickly crumpled the paper, tossing it over his shoulder so that it hit the wall with a dull _plack!_ Zoro started again.

_Dear Straw Hat,_

_Whatever reason I had for not going yesterday night shouldn't be an excuse for what I did to you. I'm sorry for putting you through such a bad experience last night. You expected to find a good friend and instead, you met the enemy. And then you said things that you didn't mean. It's my fault. And I'm sorry for causing you additional pain. But we all say things that we regret sometimes and it's okay if you do, too. I'm sure that whoever you talked to deserved to be told that way._

Zoro paused and stared at his letter. He ran a hand through his green hair in frustration and put his pen back to the paper.

_What's more important is how you feel about yourself. If you regret what you said, it's not too late to try and fix it_... _In the meantime, would you like to meet again? Same time, same place tomorrow? I promise I won't mess up this time. Write back soon._

_Sincerely,_

_Santoryu_

Zoro smiled at his letter and slipped it into a new envelope, ready to send it off at the Merry Post Office. _Let's meet again, Luffy._

* * *

**To be continued...**

Thank you very much for all of your reviews!

This chapter may have been a little weird... or I might just be thinking too much...

In any case, I hope that you have enjoyed the fifth chapter of Under Mirangu Branches!


	6. Without You

* * *

**- 6 -**

* * *

Zoro opened his eyes and sat up straight on his make-shift bed made of sheets. He stood up and quickly started getting dressed, knowing exactly what he wanted and what he was going to do. It was a strange feeling... It was especially strange for a man who normally woke up everyday with no sense of time. Sometimes he even forgot where he was. Yes. It was not everyday that Zoro knew what he wanted to do for the day. Usually, the green haired man would just fall into his casual routine consisting of food, training, classes, and sleep. Other times, Nami planned everything out for him to do. But she was gone now. He pulled on a comfortable blue T-shirt and left to find the nearest bakery. He knew exactly what he should do now.

* * *

Luffy mumbled in his sleep and shifted uncomfortably. The boy rolled off of his bed and landed in an awkward position on the ground. His brown eyes shot open, staring around at his upside down room. 

"Na? What happened?" The boy quickly righted himself and giggled at his own stupidity. As the giggles subsided, he smiled and stared at the door of his room. _I wonder if Santoryu sent me any messages_... The smile on his face started to fade away and a dazed look crossed Luffy's face as he stared blankly at his bedroom door. _And maybe I should go find Zoro and apologize_... Luffy frowned at the thought of the green haired man and picked himself up, blowing out a sigh. _Today's not gonna be a good day_...

"Maybe I'll feel better after some breakfast." He reassured himself. The black haired boy walked out of his room and spotted an envelope sitting in the middle of the courtyard. Almost immediately, a wide grin split across his face. _A letter!_ Santoryu had finally written back!

Luffy leapt over and crouched down to pick up the envelope eagerly. He ripped it open and read its contents, a small smile playing over his lips. He didn't think Santoryu needed to apologize so much in his letter but... it did make him feel better. Suddenly, a knock came from the front of the dojo. The black haired boy quickly turned around and found Zoro walking into his dojo. The smile on the boy's lips quickly disappeared to be replaced with a surprised expression. Luffy glanced around nervously and then back at the green haired man walking closer.

"Zoro?" He quickly stuffed the letter into his pajama pant pocket and stood up. "What are you doing in my dojo?"

The green haired man's footsteps stopped abruptly and Luffy watched the man shift a package in his hands uncomfortably.

"I... I came to give you this." Zoro shoved the package into Luffy's chest and watched the black haired boy take it reflexively. The boy was now staring at the package in his hands. "I'm sorry about betraying your trust, Luffy... I never did it on purpose."

Luffy stared at the green haired man suspiciously before turning his attention on the package again. He sat himself on the ground, inspecting the package carefully. "What is it?"

Zoro smirked and crouched down beside the boy. "Open it. I think you'll like it."

The black haired boy eyed Zoro for a moment before slowly opening the package. A waft of freshly baked crust, apples, and cinnamon met his nose. Luffy's mouth watered and he quickly pulled out the pastry inside. "It's apple pie!"

Zoro studied the elated expression on Luffy's face and couldn't help but smile himself.

"Wow! Apple pie in the morning! Let's eat it before Sanji wakes up." Luffy giggled and was about to stuff the entire pie into his mouth when his eyes shifted to land on the green haired man sitting next to him. The boy paused and stared at Zoro with uncertainty. "Why did you come here, again?"

The green haired man blinked momentarily and stared off to the side, wondering how he should word his thoughts. Then, he let his eyes fall upon the boy in front of him again. "I wanted to be your friend..."

"Oh..." Luffy stared at Zoro, frozen in place. Then, the boy pushed himself up and rushed out of the courtyard to the kitchen. The green haired man watched the boy run back out with a plate in his hands and Luffy quickly cut a piece of the pie onto the plate. He shoved the plate at Zoro in a simple gesture. Then, he gulped down the rest of the pie.

Zoro stared at the slice of pie Luffy had given him and he smiled, reaching over to ruffle the boy's hair gently before eating his piece of the pie.

When Luffy felt the hand in his hair, he nearly jerked away in surprise. But, the boy restrained himself and let the large hands sift through his hair. Luffy fought back a giggle as the fingers tickled his scalp. It was quite enjoyable. But almost as quickly as it had come, the hand left his head and the boy pouted slightly. Luffy turned to study Zoro carefully. _He really does look like a cool person though_... As he watched the green haired man eating his slice of pie, Luffy started to remember his last encounter with Zoro. He had said so many bad things that probably hurt Zoro a lot... The black haired boy frowned sadly, glancing away in shame. Luffy shifted uncomfortably and felt the letter stuffed in his pocket rustle, reminding him of what he had just read in the letter. _If you regret what you said, it's not too late to try and fix it_... Luffy frowned. _That's what Santoryu wrote, right?_ He glanced at Zoro warily and his eyes grew determined. _Right! It's better to try it than to regret it!_

"Na, Zoro?"

"Hm?" The green haired man looked up after he finished off the slice of pie. Luffy grimaced and looked away. He didn't know that apologizing would be so hard! The boy took a deep breath and turned his head back so that he could look at Zoro.

"I... I'm sorry! About what I said... at the clock tower."

Zoro smirked at the boy's uncharacteristic shyness. In a way, it was cute. Luffy was always so confident and full of determination. It was interesting to see him so mild now. "It's fine. You were waiting for someone important and then the person you hated most came to bother you. It's only reasonable for anyone to have a reaction like that. I mean—"

"I don't hate you, Zoro."

The next sentence the green haired man was about to say stopped abruptly in his throat. Sure, he could tell that Luffy didn't hate him when the boy didn't shuffle away from him today. Heck, the boy even gave him a piece of pie! But to actually hear Luffy say out loud... that he wasn't hated... Zoro couldn't help but grin inwardly, a warm feeling spreading throughout his body. His heart suddenly felt so much lighter... Before he came to Raftel, people stayed away from him because of his dangerous aura or picked on him because of his green hair. But when Luffy had first seen him, he had said that he was cool. Not _scary_. Not _weird_... or even _unique_. The boy had run up to him, saying that his green hair was cool. Sure, a few others might have told him that he was cool. But, they were always just comments to pass time or make him feel more comfortable about himself. No one had ever said that to him and meant it... not even Nami. They were always judging him from his appearance first...

"Umm..." Zoro cleared his throat once, "Anyway, about that night, who were you waiting for?" The green haired man asked in feigned curiousness and watched the black haired boy stiffen. "Was he an old friend?"

"Well..." Luffy shifted uncomfortably again and glanced at Zoro a few times before looking away. "I've never actually met him yet... Is that weird?"

_Bingo!_ Zoro grinned to himself and masked his true feelings with a confused frown on his face. "You've never met him? But how can he be a good friend then?"

The boy frowned and glared at Zoro. "Just because I've never met him doesn't mean we can't be good friends!"

The green haired man smirked and leaned closer to Luffy, as if he were about to impart a secret to the boy. "Ah... you must've signed up for that Merry Post Office program, right?" He pulled back, rubbing his chin and nodding knowingly. "No wonder you've never seen him..."

"How did you know that?!" Luffy's eyes widened, frozen to his seat in the courtyard. Was Zoro psychic?!

"Do you like your friend a lot?" Zoro smirked. Luffy crossed his arms over his chest in irritation.

"Of course I do. A lot more than you!" The boy stuck his tongue out at Zoro. The green haired man chuckled. Then, his chuckles subsided and he stared at Luffy in feigned surprise.

"Wait... so if you've never seen him yet then..." Zoro asked slowly. "He didn't come meet you yesterday?"

Luffy bit his bottom lip. "Well... I'm sure he has a good reason."

The green haired man blinked in interest. "So he wrote a letter back to you in explanation, right?"

"Well..." Luffy glanced at his pocket and felt the paper rustling inside as he shifted uncomfortably again. Then he looked over at Zoro. "Wait, why am I telling _you_ all of this anyway?"

Zoro smiled and stood up. "Okay, you don't have to tell me. At least we're friends now, right?"

Luffy stared at Zoro uncertainly. "I guess..."

Zoro could feel his lips starting to split into a goofy smile. Luffy was willing to be his friend again...! "Well, I've gotta go. See you around town then." The green haired man ruffled the boy's hair again and walked back out the way he came, a grin spread on his face.

Luffy stuck his tongue out once more at Zoro's retreating back and he pulled the letter out of his pocket. The boy smiled softly. _Maybe today won't be a bad day_...

"Luffy...?" A groggy voice came from his left. The black haired boy looked up and found Sanji standing in the doorway of his bedroom scratching his head.

"Sanji! You're awake!"

"What are you doing up so early...? I thought I heard voices..." The blonde haired man shuffled over to the boy.

"Voices? Oh, Zoro came by!" Luffy grinned. Sanji nearly tripped over himself.

"WHAT?! That bastard was in here?!"

"Mm." The boy nodded and then stared at the kitchen. The blonde haired cook stared at Luffy, surprised by the boy's lack of anger or irritation at having Zoro in their dojo. He noticed a paper bag and a plate discarded in the courtyard. _What the hell happened?!_

"But...! Zoro was...?"

"Breakfast, Sanji!" Luffy shot up and grinned happily. Sanji groaned and stomped off into the kitchen, rubbing his temples in frustration. _Whatever, Luffy. I don't care anymore!_

Luffy followed the blonde cook into the kitchen and sat down at the table eagerly. Sanji spun around and shot a glare at the boy. "And clean up the mess outside!"

The black haired boy squeaked and ran outside to clean up the plate and paper bag outside. Sanji sighed and turned back to the refrigerator and opened it. There was nothing inside. The blonde blinked and closed the door of the refrigerator. Then, he opened it again. Still nothing...

"Luffy...! Did you eat everything in the refrigerator?!" He yelled out. The boy came back into the room and pushed the plate Zoro had been eating off of onto the table.

"What?" Luffy blinked a few times.

"There's nothing in the refrigerator!"

"Ah... I might've... yesterday..." The boy glanced off to the side.

To say that Sanji was angry would be an understatement.

* * *

"Sensei! Stop staring at the meat section!" Kohza shouted angrily, pushing Vivi's wheelchair towards the black haired boy, who was sporting a large bump on his head and starting to drool over the meat sitting in the coolers. 

"But it looks so good to eat..." Luffy pressed his face up against the glass of the refrigerator. Vivi giggled and shifted the basket of food in her lap.

"Oi, Luffy!" Sanji stormed over, pushing a large trolley, and kicked the boy away from the meat. "We're only here to get what we need!"

Luffy picked himself up and pouted, rubbing at the new bruise the cook had given him. "But Sanjiii...!"

"No, Luffy." The blonde haired man growled. "We already have meat. We don't need more. Now go find the cabbages."

"Cabbages...? Why do we need cabbages?"

"I'm the cook here, dammit! Just do what I say!"

Luffy groaned and walked down an aisle, looking for the round green vegetables. Kohza pushed Vivi after their sensei quickly, helping to look for the cabbages. The blue haired girl smiled and watched the cans of fruit and boxes of cereal go past her. Suddenly, she noticed a familiar boy standing in one of the aisles. Vivi gasped and covered her mouth in horror. _What's Crocodile doing here?!_

Kohza noticed the girl's gasp and blinked. "Vivi?"

"Huh? Oh, it's nothing, Kohza. Don't worry." The blue haired girl gave the boy a nervous smile. The boy with dark blonde hair gave her a skeptic look but shrugged it off and continued to push the girl towards Luffy.

"Ou!" The two students heard Luffy exclaim after turning the corner of the aisle. "Zoro! What are you doing here?"

Kohza and Vivi shared a worried look and quickly sped around the corner after their sensei. They spotted the green haired man standing a few feet away, pushing his own trolley.

"I was just getting some more food. There wasn't enough in my fridge." Zoro said casually. Luffy laughed and peered into the man's trolley, staring at the steak and instant noodles already inside.

"That's funny! The same thing happened to us, too!"

"You're the one who ate everything, idiot! It's not the same thing!" Kohza shouted, steering Vivi forward. "And why are you acting so friendly with Zoro?!"

Luffy blinked and pointed at the green haired man who stared blankly at the boy. "But, we're supposed to be friendly with friends, right? That's why they use the word 'friend' in 'friendly', stupid Kohza."

Kohza and Vivi blinked in surprise and their jaws went slack. "Friends? When...?"

"Just this morning!" Luffy grinned and slung an arm around the green haired man's shoulders. "He gave me pie, too!"

Zoro stared at the boy, pretending to look annoyed to cover up his embarrassment. "Anyway, I need to get some cabbage. You know where to find those?"

"Cabbage? You're getting that?! They're bad!" Luffy stuck his tongue out with distaste. "Why're you getting cabbages?"

Zoro stared pointedly at the boy. "Cabbage is good for you, idiot."

The black haired boy frowned and shrugged, shuffling down another aisle, looking for the cabbages. Kohza grinned and looked up at Zoro.

"We're looking for cabbages, too."

"Really?" Zoro blinked.

"It's quite a coincidence." Vivi giggled. But her giggles stopped abruptly when she noticed Crocodile pass by, walking down the aisle next to the one Luffy was walking down. Kohza turned his attention from Zoro back to Vivi.

"Vivi?" The boy asked curiously again, frowning this time. She was just laughing a few seconds ago and then she had suddenly stopped.

The blue haired girl spun her head around and smiled nervously. "Let's follow Luffy before he gets lost..."

"Okay..." Kohza gave her a confused look and pushed her down the aisle Luffy was still walking down. Zoro stared at the blue haired girl suspiciously but followed after them down the aisle. The green haired man smiled as Luffy picked up random cans and boxes, inspecting them carefully. Suddenly, a cabbage flew over one of the shelves and hung in front of Luffy, floating in the air.

"What the hell?!" Zoro stared at the floating cabbage in shock. Kohza blinked and stared at the floating cabbage in awe. Luffy pointed at it and turned to grin at Zoro.

"Look! I found a cabbage!" He tried to grab it but a string pulled the cabbage up and away from the boy's grasp. Luffy frowned and tried jumping at it, but the cabbage was always just out of his reach. Zoro stared at the situation with a blank face.

"He's an idiot..." The green haired man and Kohza said together. Vivi stared on with worry. _Something feels wrong about this_... She saw the shelves of cans start to tip over, falling towards Luffy. The blue haired girl gasped.

"Watch out!" She cried, trying to move herself towards her sensei. Zoro noticed the tipping shelves and let go off his trolley, quickly rushing towards the oblivious boy, who was still trying to catch the floating cabbage.

"Luffy!" The man dove and grabbed Luffy by his middle, throwing both of them away from the falling cans. They skidded across the polished floor and slammed into one of the coolers holding produce.

Kohza stood frozen to the ground in shock. What had just happened? He regained use of his legs and quickly sprinted forward to check behind the fallen shelf. No one was there... _Whoever did this planned to hurt Luffy_... The boy gritted his teeth and glanced up. _Maybe there's a camera?_ He spotted one camera swiveling around on the ceiling. Kohza smirked. _If we get that tape, we'll find out who did this. _He nodded confidently to himself but then noticed something. _Wait_... The boy with dark blonde hair took a closer look at the camera. It looked like... a wad of gum had been stuck onto its lenses... Kohza scowled and clenched his fists. _Dammit_..._! Who the hell did this?_ He noticed Vivi wringing her hands in worry and he remembered that he still didn't know who broke her leg. _Could these accidents be linked? Then that means_... A look of realization dawned upon his face. _Vivi knows_... Kohza hurriedly walked towards the blue haired girl.

Zoro groaned and sat up, rubbing a bruise on his back from hitting the cooler. He looked down at the black haired boy splayed out in his lap.

"Oi, Luffy? You okay?"

"Na?" Luffy shot up from his position and glanced around in confusion. "What the? Zoro?" He spotted the fallen cans and his eyes widened, realizing what had happened. The black haired boy stood up and inspected the scene. "Are Kohza and Vivi okay?!"

The green haired man stood up and brushed off his pants. "I think so. The shelf was targeted at you while you were distracted by the cabbage."

Luffy frowned and shot an annoyed look at the green haired man. "I told you cabbages were bad."

Zoro stared at the black haired boy incredulously. How could the boy say such peculiar things so seriously? He snorted and shook his head, utterly amused. "Whatever you say, Luffy."

Vivi watched Kohza walk over with a serious expression on his face. She bit her lip nervously and the boy eyed her in suspicion.

"Who did this, Vivi?" He stared at her angrily but his voice remained calm. When she didn't answer the boy gripped the sides of the wheelchair and leaned forward so that the girl could look nowhere else but at him. "Who did this to Luffy? Who did this to you?"

The blue haired girl stared at her friend, trying to back away from his gaze. "I... I can't tell you!"

"Why not?! Why can't you tell us who is doing all these things?!" Kohza shouted. "Do you want Luffy to get hurt? Do _you_ want to get hurt again?!"

"They're not going to hurt me! They're... aiming for someone else..." Vivi's eyes stared back into the boy's shakily. Kohza watched her wavering eyes for a while before closing his own eyes and backing away.

"Okay..."

Vivi watched the boy nervously.

"Okay, Vivi. I won't ask anymore. But can you tell me why you won't tell us who it is?"

"I... can't..." She clenched her teeth together and looked away.

"Vivi..." Kohza's eyes were open again, but this time he was staring at her in concern.

"Because... I don't want you guys to die!" The girl cried, covering her mouth with a hand. Tears pooled around her eyes, threatening to fall out. Kohza watched her silently and quickly walked over to put a hand on her head comfortingly.

"Vivi."

The blue haired girl slowly looked up at the boy.

"We won't die. We'll beat them up before they can hurt us." Kohza smiled softly at her. "So put some more faith in us, won't you?"

Vivi stared at the boy in surprise and wiped at her eyes furiously, giving Kohza a short nod. Kohza always said the right things to make her feel better... Luffy and Zoro crossed around the fallen shelves and cans.

"Vivi! Kohza! You guys are okay!" Luffy hopped over happily.

"Oi! Are you done getting the cabbages, idiots?!" Sanji's voice echoed from a few aisles away, oblivious to what had just happened. Luffy scowled and turned his head to shout over the shelves in the direction of the blond haired cook.

"We're not getting cabbages! Don't you know that they're bad for you, stupid Sanji?! I almost got crushed by one!"

"What the hell? What kind of an excuse is that?! And you have no right to call me stupid, bastard!"

Zoro listened to the comments firing across the aisles in the grocery store and started laughing loudly. Kohza and Vivi stared at the idiots standing before them and sighed, shaking their heads. Finally, the owner of the grocery store came over and scolded them about making a mess, forcing them to clean it up. When they finally set the shelf back to normal, they were shooed out of the store after paying for their groceries.

Zoro chuckled to himself and headed off in the direction his dojo would most likely be in. "Well, thanks for the interesting experience." He waved and left the group.

Luffy grinned and waved after the green haired man merrily. "Bye, Zoro!"

Sanji shoved all of the grocery bags into the black haired boy's hands, annoyed by Luffy's sudden closeness with Zoro. "You take all the bags because of the mess you made." And then the blonde haired man walked back towards their dojo.

"Wha?!" Luffy wobbled and tried to peer over all the bags of food he was holding. "But... wait! Sanjiiii!" The black haired boy ran after the blonde, carrying the paper bags. Kohza and Vivi stared at each other and then smiled, following after the two males quickly.

* * *

"So, there was a floating cabbage and then the shelf fell on you. But, the marimo pushed you out of the way before it fell?" 

Luffy nodded vigorously. Sanji stared at him with a raised eyebrow and then turned to look at Kohza.

"And you're saying that Vivi knows who pushed the shelf because she was hurt by the same person?"

"Yeah," Kohza nodded. "And she won't tell us who it is because if she tells, the person will kill me and Luffy."

Sanji's visible eye narrowed in thought and then turned to Vivi.

"Is this true?"

Vivi nodded slowly.

"And you still won't tell us who it is...?" The blonde haired man crossed his arms over his chest. The blue haired girl bit her bottom lip anxiously and looked down at her lap.

"Well..." She eyed Kohza for a moment and then looked back down at her hands folded together in her lap. "It's..." Vivi glanced around the room nervously and then turned to look at Kohza with strong eyes. "It's C-Crocodile."

The boy with dark blonde hair stepped backwards in surprise. "What?"

"Crocodile is trying to get revenge on you two!"

Sanji frowned. "That's the algae head's student..."

Luffy blinked once. "Crocodile? That kid who looked like this with black hair smoothed back like this?" He licked his hand and swept it over his own black hair and jutted out his jaw, setting his eyes in a lazy, narrowed stare. Vivi nodded at Luffy's impression.

"But Crocodile's my friend!" Kohza nearly yelled. Vivi gritted her teeth and shut her eyes with conviction.

"It was Crocodile."

"That bastard kid did this to Vivi-chan?! Why I'll..." Sanji clenched his fists and started to storm out the door. "I wouldn't be surprised if marimo was behind this! First, steal the students. Then, hurt the teacher and students so that no one else will come. It's a perfect plan! Those bastards..."

Luffy's head snapped up when he heard Sanji's comment and he raced in front of the blonde cook to stand before him defiantly. "Zoro didn't do anything. He's my friend now!"

"But he betrayed you once! He can do it again! Can't you get that through your thick skull?!" Sanji shouted. The two glared at each other angrily. Vivi quickly tried to move herself towards them.

"Zoro has nothing to do with Crocodile! And it was Crocodile who convinced the rest of the students to go to Zoro's dojo. So, Zoro never actually betrayed your trust, Luffy."

The black haired boy blinked a few times and then a wide smile spread from one ear to the other. "Really?"

Vivi relaxed in her wheelchair and smiled. "Really."

Sanji stared at Luffy's large smile and then he eyed Vivi's confident smile. The man sighed and walked over to pat the blue haired girl on the head. "Okay, if Vivi-chan says so."

Luffy grinned and balled one of his fists menacingly. "Let's go kick Crocodile's ass!"

Sanji smirked and started to follow Luffy out the door. "We need to pay back for what he did to our Vivi-chan."

Kohza sped out the kitchen door and stepped in front of them, his eyes nearly in shadow. The black haired boy and blonde haired man stopped and stared at the boy curiously.

"Kohza?" Luffy blinked at his student.

"Are you sure it was Crocodile, Vivi?" The boy growled, clenching his fists. The blue haired girl nodded and rolled her wheelchair out of the kitchen. She watched Kohza look up with dangerous eyes and she couldn't help but gulp nervously.

"Okay, then. Let's go, sensei."

"Ou!" Luffy grinned and walked out of the dojo with Sanji and Kohza. The blue haired girl was about to bid them farewell when she realized something.

"Wait! Crocodile's still a kid!" Vivi wheeled her chair towards them. "And he has a mother who'll worry about him!"

The three males stopped in their tracks with curious expressions on their faces.

"So what?" They all said at once, shooting a confused look towards the blue haired girl. Vivi could feel herself getting a little annoyed but wheeled herself over all the same.

"If you guys just storm into their house and beat Crocodile up without a reason, then you guys will be blamed!"

The three males looked at each other and they finally seemed to understand what she was saying.

"Vivi-chan has a point..." Sanji put his hands on his hips in annoyance. Kohza bit his bottom lip in anger, not really knowing what to do. Luffy rubbed his chin in thought.

"Well, can't we just go to their house, expose the truth, and then beat him up?" The black haired boy said, staring at them all in annoyance. Kohza kicked his sensei's shin and Sanji smacked Luffy in the head.

"We can't just do that, idiot!" The two growled. Vivi furrowed her eyebrows in thought.

"But, we can try to expose him. We just need to tell someone with more authority than us. And we need evidence."

"So, basically we catch the kid on tape while he's trying to hurt Luffy or Kohza?"

Vivi looked at the two boys with worry. "But I don't want you two to get hurt in the process..."

Luffy and Kohza shared a look and then grinned at her. Luffy smiled, "Don't worry about us. We'll catch Crocodile!"

Sanji smirked and went to the kitchen to prepare lunch. "I guess we won't be beating up Crocodile yet. I'll go make some lunch for us. And we need to get a camcorder if we want to catch Crocodile."

Kohza clenched his fist in front of him and stared at the hand. "I'll beat him up... I swear..."

Luffy smiled and roughly ruffled the boy's dark blonde hair before heading into the kitchen. Kohza looked up from his fist in surprise and then watched his sensei enter the kitchen.

"Thank you, Kohza..." He heard a voice beside him say. The boy turned to look at the blue haired girl sitting in the wheelchair and he smiled.

"Anytime."

They smiled at each other for a while until they were interrupted by loud shouts from the kitchen. The two blinked in surprise and then laughed together before heading to the kitchen to appease the fight starting.

* * *

A boy with a large red nose stood outside of Luffy's dojo, listening carefully to the conversations taking place. _They know that Crocodile's the one who did it!_ He quickly sneaked away, running towards Crocodile's hideout. Buggy knocked three times on the door. 

"Password?"

"Akuma." The door opened and the boy slipped inside quickly. He came face to face with Crocodile, who was staring at him expectantly.

"They know." The red nosed boy grinned. The boy with slicked hair smirked.

"Get your bombs ready, Buggy."

"Yes! And then my debt will be paid, right?"

"Of course." Crocodile grinned mischievously and walked out the door, followed by Buggy.

* * *

"Thish ish delicioush, Sanji!" Luffy stuffed his mouth full of food. Kohza quickly grabbed at anything he could take from the plates before it could be vacuumed by his sensei. The boy handed Vivi a plate of food and then returned to finding his own meal. Sanji sighed in frustration as the blue haired girl giggled. 

"I'm glad that you like it, Luffy. But can't you slow down when you eat?!" The blonde whacked the boy's head with his foot.

Suddenly, a loud bang came from somewhere in the courtyard. Luffy blinked in the direction while stuffing food into his mouth. Sanji and Kohza quickly ran out the door and their eyes widened at the sight. The once grassy courtyard was now only a burnt patch of ground, full of ashes and a few embers flaring around in the air.

"Shit! Someone attacked the dojo!" Sanji growled and glanced skyward. _It must've been Crocodile_... But how the hell did that kid get cannonballs to fire?! Another cannonball flew in and the blonde quickly rushed towards Kohza, picking the boy up and running away from the spot the cannon was about to hit.

Luffy jogged out of the kitchen, licking his lips. When he heard Sanji's shout, his eyes widened in shock as he took everything in. "My... dojo..."

Another cannonball came, aimed at him. He stared at it in anger.

"LUFFY! Run, idiot!" Sanji shouted, setting Kohza down on the dojo floor. He grit his teeth nervously when he found that he wouldn't be able to run to the black haired boy in time. "Get out of the way!"

Luffy jumped back into the kitchen just as the cannonball was about to hit him. The black haired boy quickly grabbed Vivi's wheelchair and pushed her through the smoke from the bomb towards Sanji and Kohza.

"Who the hell's doing this to my dojo?!" The black haired boy's voice escalated in anger and volume while pushing Vivi to his other friends. "Sanji, take Vivi and Kohza outside. I won't leave my dojo without a fight!" His eyes hardened in a feral glare. He wouldn't allow anyone to ruin this place. No one!

The blonde haired man stared at him in shock. "But Luffy...!"

"Get out of here, Sanji!" The black haired boy didn't turn to look at the cook. Sanji nodded and picked Vivi up from her wheelchair, hurrying Kohza out the front door. Another cannonball came flying towards the three but Luffy quickly ran in front and grabbed it with his hands, using it's momentum to swing it back to where it came from.

"Luffy!" Vivi screamed, turning in Sanji's arms to look at her sensei. Kohza ran out the door clenching his fists together. Crocodile was doing all of this, wasn't he...!

"Kohza, let's get a camcorder quickly. Do you have one?" Sanji said hurriedly. The boy with dark blonde hair nodded.

"Yeah, I might have one at home."

"Let's get it. Come on, hurry!"

A few people on the streets gasped as they saw smoke coming from Luffy's dojo, the dojo that had been around the island ever since the town had been formed.

"What's happening?!"

"I don't know..."

"Hey, that looks like a cannonball!"

"It's aimed for Luffy's dojo?!"

Sanji stopped running and stared at the people standing around him. "Wait, Kohza. We can use these people here! They'll be witnesses! Oi! You there, can you guys help us look for the person who's shooting those cannonballs?"

"Sanji-kun?"

The blonde haired man spun around quickly and found Nami standing a few feet away, holding a paper bag. A cannonball flew astray from a building behind the dojo and headed towards the girl. Sanji's eyes widened and he quickly passed Vivi to Kohza. Then, he ran as fast as his legs could and dove to pull Nami out of the way. The cannonball flew into the ground heavily and gave off a small explosion, sending the townspeople into confusion and anger.

"Who the hell's doing this?!"

"Could've hurt a civilian!"

"We have to find who's doing this!"

"There! The cannonballs seem to be coming from there!"

The townspeople raced towards the building in the distance. Sanji sighed in relief and stared at the orange haired girl in his arms.

"Are you okay, Nami-san?"

"What happened...?" The girl blinked and stared at the blonde haired man holding her. "Let go of me!" She quickly pushed herself out of his arms and he smiled sheepishly, quickly letting her go.

"Someone's attacking the dojo. And the bastard who was shooting at us must've sent a cannonball flying in the wrong direction..." Sanji muttered angrily and turned to look at Nami. "Try to get away from here as fast as you can. Take Vivi and Kohza with you, all right?" And then the blonde sped off, following the townspeople speeding down the road ferociously.

Nami watched Sanji run off and then she found a boy holding a girl in his arms, staring at her curiously. "Are you Vivi and Kohza?"

The two children nodded dumbly, not really knowing what to do at the moment.

"Can you tell me what happened here?"

Vivi pointed a finger at Luffy's dojo and Nami turned to find smoke emitting from the inside. Suddenly, a wall in the dojo blasted open and the orange haired girl screamed in surprise. She quickly pulled the two children with her, trying to get away as quickly as possible. _Someone's destroying Luffy's dojo?!_ Nami ran off to find a person she knew would be able to help them.

* * *

Zoro yawned tiredly and stirred the fried rice with a wooden spatula over the stove. He turned off the fire, picked up the frying pan, and pushed the fried rice onto a plate sitting on the counter. The green haired man sighed contently and sat at his table, shoveling a spoon of the meal into his mouth. Suddenly, he heard hasty footsteps from the courtyard and the man quickly made a grab for one of his swords. It sounded very suspicious... 

"Zoro! Where the hell are you?!"

The green haired man blinked in surprise, still holding the sword in front of him defensively. "Nami?" The orange haired girl stormed into the room and grabbed the man's arm, dragging him out the room.

"Luffy's dojo is in trouble!" She said quickly before Zoro could say anything. The man blinked in surprise again. But he quickly recovered and started running out of his dojo. Nami ran after him. "Take a right, Zoro! I said, right! Not left, idiot!"

Zoro grumbled in annoyance and ran in the opposite direction he had been running in. He then heard Nami start to say something about having two kids in his dojo but he didn't pay much attention. Luffy's dojo was in trouble? Was he all right? He clenched his teeth in frustration and sprinted down the road, carrying the one sword he had been holding earlier. _I'm coming, Luffy._

* * *

"Dammit!" Luffy growled angrily, slinging a cannonball back in the direction it came from. "Stop ruining my dojo!" Two cannonballs flew by and he quickly ran towards them, trying to throw both of them back. But he only managed to throw one back. The black haired boy watched in horror as the second cannonball flew past, blasting into Sanji's bedroom. Luffy barely had any time to take in the damage when another cannonball came flying towards him. He glared at the metal ball angrily. "You bastard...!" The boy caught the metal ball with his arms and swung it back again. 

"Luffy!" The boy heard a familiar voice yell from the front of the dojo. He turned around and found a green haired man running towards him with a sword raised.

"Zoro?!"

"Duck, Luffy!"

The black haired boy did as he was told and the swordsman jumped up, slicing a cannonball in two. The two halves slowed and fell onto the burnt courtyard causing two small explosions on the ground. Zoro turned back to look at Luffy.

"You okay?" The man studied the boy carefully. A few burns here and there, hands red from throwing cannonballs away from the dojo. He looked slightly out of breath…how long had he been throwing those cannonballs back? _And who the hell is targeting Luffy?_ Zoro growled angrily and cut another cannonball that was aimed at the black haired boy. He heard three cannonballs soar through the air again and cut two quickly. But the third was too far from his reach. Luffy gasped and quickly ran towards a room.

"Hat!" Zoro heard the boy yell and dive into the room.

"Wait! That cannonball!" The green haired man realized where the metal ball was heading and sped towards it. "Luffy! Get out of there!" He spotted the boy start to rush out with the treasured straw hat in his hands but before he could get away, the cannonball hit the room, sending dust, wood, and embers into the air. Zoro coughed and waved away the smoke, staring blearily at the spot he had just seen Luffy at.

"Luffy? Luffy?!" The green haired man quickly ran towards the area the last cannonball had hit. It seemed as if the attacks had stopped for the moment. Zoro coughed again, waving the smoke away desperately. When the air cleared, the man spotted the black haired boy lying under the debris. He wasn't moving. Zoro rushed forward, sheathing his sword, and pushed away the wood that was crushing the boy. Then, the man inspected Luffy carefully and sighed in relief as he found the boy cough from the smoke he had inhaled. But Zoro noticed a few badly looking burns spread along the boy's arms and back from the last explosion. The boy's right arm also seemed to be battered up. _Shit, I gotta get him to a doctor!_ The green haired man stared at the boy's form nervously.

"Zo... ro...?" The black haired boy coughed and shifted his head to look at the green haired man.

"I'm right here, Luffy." The older man smiled reassuringly. He watched the boy smile and then close his eyes silently. The green haired man blinked once and then panicked.

"Luffy? Luffy! Can you hear me?" Zoro nearly shouted at the boy and glanced around tensely. "Oi! Any doctors around?!" He found Nami standing at the front door nervously, checking if the coast was clear of cannonballs. The green haired man waved at her. "Nami! Hurry and get a doctor!" The girl stared at Luffy's form in shock and then quickly ran off. Zoro turned his attention back on the boy. Luffy was still clutching his straw hat tightly in his hands, somehow unscathed by the explosion apart from a singed fringe and some dust that had managed to weave itself into the hat. Zoro stared at the boy, watching his chest rise and fall irregularly. The right arm was starting to turn dark purple. What was Luffy trying to do?! Risking his life for a mere straw hat? It was his treasure, he knew that! _But_... The green haired man grit his teeth in frustration and stared at the boy. What would he do if Luffy had really died...? His mind seemed to stop working for a second and his heart clenched, weighing down in his chest. What would he do...? Zoro sighed and shook his head, trying to shake away the feeling rising from his gut. He wasn't dead. That was the only thing that mattered now. He smirked wryly and slowly reached a hand out towards the boy to pat Luffy on the head. Thank god he wasn't dead... The man closed his eyes.

"You idiot."

* * *

**To be continued.**

Yeah... I think that's the most bit of action and violence you'll get from this story. And from this point on, it's all fluff and humor. I think...

I might redo this chapter again since I'm not really satisfied with it... I got rid of most of the inconsistent parts (is ashamed of the number of inconsistent things found while editing). But, if you find anymore, please tell me! Or if there is something like Zoro's past that needs more elaboration, tell me! I added in a part that kind of implicated why Zoro didn't have many friends before he came to Raftel and I hope it came through in this chapter... if not, I'll look for another place to stick more in. But, I'm planning on making extra chapters (side stories) after the entire story of Zoro and Luffy getting together. So, if I can't explain Zoro's past well enough, I think I'll just write a side story of it instead...


	7. Repercussions

* * *

**- 7 -**

* * *

"He'll be fine. Just a few burns and a fractured arm." 

"Then why the hell is he still sleeping?"

"Watch your language, marimo!"

"Don't worry, he's just exhausted. From what you all told me, Luffy-san was tossing away cannonballs that were being fired at him. It's only normal for a person to feel tired after doing that."

"So... he's okay?"

"Mm. He should wake up soon. But when he does, make sure that he doesn't move or do any dangerous stunts for a while. Especially with his fractured arm."

"I understand."

"Thank you, Kaya-chan!"

Luffy heard the voices of a few people murmur and he tried to open his eyes. A bright light pierced his eyes and he shut them tightly again, groaning and trying to turn away. But as he started to turn, he found that his right arm felt strange. As if something was being tied around it so that it couldn't move too much. _My arm_...

"Luffy?"

"Sensei!"

The boy heard the shuffling footsteps of several people come over and he could feel their presences hovering over him. Luffy tried to open his eyes again and found his friends standing over him. The black haired boy grinned.

"Hi, everyone!"

Nami gave the boy an annoyed look and flicked his forehead. "Idiot. Don't you know that catching cannonballs are dangerous?!"

_Why's she here?_ Luffy blinked once, staring at the orange haired girl. _Oh well, it doesn't really matter._ He shrugged inwardly and smiled again. Zoro smirked and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Looks like you're finally back."

Luffy grinned more widely and tried to sit up straight. But he felt arms push him back down on the bed and he looked up again, finding Kaya standing over him.

"Don't get out of bed yet."

The black haired boy pouted and started to settle back against the soft white pillow under his head. But his eyes widened in realization and his uninjured hand shot up to feel the top of his head.

"Hat?!"

The yellow hat with a red band flew over and onto his face, muffling his cries. Luffy quickly plucked it off his face and hugged it to his chest in relief. Sanji smirked.

"We had to pry that from your hands while you were sleeping. You just wouldn't let go."

The black haired boy laughed and closed his eyes happily. Then he opened them again and stared more closely around him. On his left stood Kaya, a long nosed boy, Sanji and Nami. On his right side stood Zoro, Kohza, and Vivi. _Wait_... he turned his attention back to his left side. _Who the hell is that guy?_ He blinked and pointed a finger at the long nosed boy.

"You have a weird nose."

Usopp stepped backwards in shock and hurt. Kaya giggled which only added more hurt to the long nosed boy. His eyes narrowed and then he pointed at Luffy.

"W-well, you're... you're just plain weird!" Usopp shot back. Luffy blinked for a moment and then laughed.

"You have funny comebacks!" The black haired boy chortled. Usopp was about to shoot something back at Luffy when the boy's laughter was abruptly stopped by a wince of pain. Luffy smiled sheepishly up at his friends who were starting to grow irritated by his apparent carefree attitude despite the fact that he was still injured.

Kaya crossed her arms and gave him a scolding look. "Luffy, you need to stay in bed and calm down. And don't move too much. Especially your right arm." She turned to eye the rest of the visitors in the room. "And everyone else, please leave. Although I'm sure Luffy would love to have you all around, you will only deter him from his rest."

"Yes, Kaya-chan!" Sanji smiled and pushed Vivi and Kohza out.

"Sensei! Get better soon!" The blue haired girl shouted to him worriedly.

"The town people caught Crocodile and a red nosed freak attacking your dojo!" The boy with dark blonde hair shouted happily. "So rest easy! The dojo is safe now."

Luffy grinned and waved at them. He blinked as he remembered the state of the dojo before he found himself in the hospital. "Ah, Sanji!" He shouted anxiously. The blonde haired man turned around with a confused look. "Could you check if the dojo's all right? I mean... at least if the training room is okay...?"

"Sure." The black haired boy received a reassuring smirk from Sanji before he left. Luffy sighed in relief and settled back against the pillows under him. Nami smiled at him and started out the door.

"Well, I have other things to do. See you, kid." She grinned and was about to leave the door when she noticed that Zoro didn't leave yet. She had an idea why her former fiancé was still staying behind. Ever since she found out that Luffy was the one Zoro had been writing to all this time, Nami had sometimes found herself thinking about his relationships. _I'm happy for you, Zoro. Maybe you've found someone you truly love?_ The orange haired girl smiled softly and slipped out the door after one last look at the green haired man. He had proposed to her only a month ago...

"_Marry me, okay?" Zoro lazily tossed a diamond ring through the air at Nami. The orange haired girl caught it with one hand and stared at it for a moment before looking up skeptically. Talk about impulsive_..._ she had only been going out with him for a few weeks and he wanted to marry her now?_

"_Why_..._?"_

_The green haired man rubbed the back of his neck and flushed slightly pink, glancing to the side. "You're the first person in a long time that has made me feel like this_..._" He focused his gaze on her again. "I think_..._ that I might I love you_..._"_

_Nami smirked and examined the ring again. It was quite beautiful_..._ and expensive. She slipped it onto her ring finger and grinned, watching it shine in the light of the street lamps. Then, she grabbed the man by his head and brought his mouth down to her lips in a rough kiss. Nami pulled back and watched the surprised expression on the man's face. "I'll think about it." She smiled seductively and tapped his chin once before walking towards her home._

She grinned at the green haired man now, who was still standing in the room, watching Luffy in concern. The orange haired girl slipped out the door. _I have to catch up to you_... _Zoro!_

"Do I have to go, too?" Usopp stared at Kaya. The blonde haired girl laughed and pushed him into another room.

"Of course! Even though you live here, you still have to stay out of the patient's rooms and let them rest."

The long nosed boy grinned cheekily and held onto the doorframe to stop her from pushing him in any further. He pretended to look far off into the distance, thinking deeply. "Oh, I don't know... this _is_ our house, so I _should_ be able to go anywhere. And Luffy _might_ need my help to fend off the monsters that roam these halls..."

Zoro stood in the room, arms still crossed over his chest, staring at the blonde haired girl and curly haired boy with a raised eyebrow. _What the hell? He lives here? Usopp acts really weirdly around this woman_... He heard the girl giggle.

"Usopp..." She shook her head and then leaned in to give the boy a gentle kiss on the lips. Usopp blushed and smiled widely.

"That'll do it!" And he rushed out of the room. Kaya giggled again and closed the door before coming back into Luffy's room. Zoro stared in surprise. _Wha_..._? What? _Wasn't that a little too open? And since when did Usopp have a girlfriend?!

"Na, Zoro? They just kissed, right? On the lips, right?" A voice beside him said eagerly. The man's soul almost leapt out of his body when he heard the simple voice. Zoro felt himself flush slightly as he thought of a way to answer the question.

"Yes... uh... they just kissed." The man replied without looking at the boy who was lying in bed. Luffy's head cocked to the side curiously.

"Oh! So that's how people do it! Since Kaya kissed the funny looking guy, she must love him, right?" The black haired boy grinned and stared at Zoro expectantly. The green haired man merely nodded stiffly, not saying a word. Luffy smiled and scratched the cast around his right arm. Then, a thought popped into his mind and the boy started to speak again. "Naa, Zoro? Have you ever kissed anyone?"

The green haired swordsman nearly choked on air when Luffy shot him with another unexpected question. _Kissed anyone?! Why would he want to know that?_ He quickly collected his thoughts together again and frowned, wondering if he should even answer that question. But... when _was_ the last time he had kissed anyone at all? He searched through his memories, trying to remember. The only time he could've kissed anyone was when he was still engaged to Nami. But even so, he could only remember kissing her two or three times...

"Well..." He coughed, feeling his face flush even more. "I have..."

Luffy grinned slyly, staring at his green haired friend with mischievous eyes. "Did you... liiiiiike it?"

A shiver flew up Zoro's back and he spun around to shoot the black haired boy an annoyed look. "Just shut up, Luffy."

The boy laughed merrily and clapped his hands at the green haired man's interesting reactions. Then, he relaxed and laid on his bed, closing his eyes in content. Kaya stepped up to Zoro, smiling as if she had not witnessed anything.

"Eh, I'm sorry but, I would appreciate it if you would leave as well. Luffy needs to rest."

The green haired swordsman nodded and started to leave. He wasn't sure if he wanted to stay near the boy anyway. Especially after that last conversation they had just then...

"Wait," Luffy's voice called from the bed. "Can Zoro stay?"

Zoro turned around and blinked at the black haired boy. _What?_

The blonde haired doctor also shifted her attention on the boy lying on the bed. Luffy smiled warmly. "I promise I won't get up!"

Kaya stared at the two boys skeptically and then sighed. "All right. Zoro-san can stay. But you have to rest, all right? I'll come check on you later." She nodded to them and left the room.

Zoro stood in place, unsure of what he should do. Luffy studied the green haired man intently and then he sighed, turning his gaze upon his precious straw hat in his lap.

"My dojo's ruined..." The boy smiled, moving a thumb over a burnt fringe on the straw hat. Zoro stared at him wordlessly and Luffy continued, a determined look starting to sparkle in his eyes. "But, I'll get better soon and then I'll go fix it all up!"

The green haired man admired the boy's expression for a moment. _He's something special, all right_... Zoro smirked and pulled a chair up so that he could sit next to the black haired boy, awkwardness all forgotten. "If you need any help, you can always ask me."

Luffy turned his attention on his friend and grinned widely. "Thanks, Zoro."

"But you have to take care of that arm, first."

The black haired boy stuck out his tongue in annoyance. "This can't stop me."

Zoro chuckled and leaned forward to ruffle the boy's messy black hair, causing a small giggle to erupt from the boy. They smiled fondly at each other and then Luffy returned to stroking his straw hat idly. Suddenly, the boy's eyes widened.

"Zoro! Get me a pen and paper!"

The green haired swordsman raised an eyebrow at the boy. "What?"

"Just get it for me!"

"All right, all right." Zoro grumbled and got up from his chair to find some paper and a pen. _Geez, not even a please. _How did he manage to like a person with such bad manners? The man ran a hand through his hair irritably. He quickly found Luffy's demanded items and handed it to the boy. Then, his gaze fell on the boy's fractured arm. _And he's stupid enough to get himself hurt in order to save his treasure._ Zoro smirked inwardly, eyeing the straw hat. _Well, that's not a bad thing_... The green haired man stared at the boy who was struggling to write with his left hand. Luffy's eyes were narrowed in concentration and he was biting his bottom lip in aggravation.

"What are you trying to do?" Zoro watched the boy draw a weird squiggly on the paper. Luffy put down his pen and leaned back against his pillows in frustration.

"I'm trying to write a letter." He shook his head and picked up his pen. Then he sat up straight again and started tackling the paper once more. Zoro blinked, dumfounded by the boy's actions.

"Who's it to?"

Luffy shot an annoyed look at the green haired man. "To Santoryu of course. He's going to meet me today!"

Zoro froze in surprise. When Luffy had gotten hurt, he had completely forgotten about their meeting later in the day. It had just come as common sense to him that they wouldn't be able to meet. But, he had forgotten that Luffy didn't know he was Santoryu. Of course the boy would want to write a letter to explain why he couldn't go to the clock tower! How could he be so stupid? Zoro relaxed and eased into a knowing smile. He took the pen and paper from the boy. "Here, I'll help you write. What's his pen name again?"

Luffy stared at Zoro, startled when the pen and paper had been snatched from him. The surprised expression on his face turned to a look of annoyance and he tried to reach for the paper and pen in Zoro's hands. "I want to write it myself!"

The green haired man sighed, keeping the paper and pen out of the boy's reach. "How can your friend read the letter if it's all messed up like this?" He showed the writing on the paper, pointing at it with the pen to emphasize his point. Luffy's arm dropped back on the bed and he pouted.

"Fine. Write 'Dear Santoryu' at the top. And remember the comma! And capitalize the 'S' on 'Santoryu'! Oh, and capitalize the 'D' in 'Dear', too!"

Zoro rolled his eyes and started to move his chair forward so that Luffy could see what he was writing and so that the boy wouldn't complain any further. _Wait! He knows my handwriting. Shit!_ The man subtly, but quickly, pulled back before the boy could check if he had written the correct words. Zoro gave Luffy a nervous smile.

"Uh, how do you spell 'Santoryu'?"

"S-a-n-t-o-r-y-u!" Luffy grinned and tried to take a peek at the paper. Zoro noticed and coughed while pretending to shift into a more comfortable position on his chair so that the boy wouldn't be able to read the letter. Luffy frowned slightly but then shrugged it off. He trusted Zoro to spell and write correctly._ But, Santoryu might notice that it's a different handwriting_... _hmm_... He stared at the wall in front of him thoughtfully.

A bead of sweat rolled down Zoro's face and he looked over at Luffy. "Uh... done."

"The handwriting in this letter might look a little different than before but that's because my friend is writing it for me."

Zoro nodded and scribbled the writing out. _This is really weird_... _I'm writing to myself_... He finished the last word of the sentence. "Mm. Next?"

"I tried to write the letter out myself but it's really hard to write letters with your other hand. You should try it sometime! Weird scribbles come out."

Zoro raised an eyebrow at Luffy who only smiled in return. The green haired man shrugged and wrote it all down. "Next?"

"Eh... but I'm sorry, Santoryu."

Zoro froze in shock and he glanced at Luffy. The boy wasn't looking at him. The green haired man relaxed slightly, remembering that these words weren't being directly said to him. _I almost thought he knew I was Santoryu!_

Zoro quickly scribbled the words 'But I'm sorry, Santoryu' on the paper and stared at them wordlessly.

"I got into an accident... and I won't be able to come meet you tonight." The green haired man wrote the words down and glanced at the boy. Luffy was staring at his straw hat with a wistful expression on his face. "I'm really sorry for breaking our promise again, Santoryu." Zoro gulped and then wrote down Luffy's words.

Hearing these words coming out of Luffy's mouth, which were technically directed at him, was so strange. The green haired man had always imagined what the voice of Straw Hat would be like. But he never expected that the voice would be so warming and heart wrenching at the same time.

"Luffy...?"

The black haired boy looked up and smiled. "Hm?"

"You didn't break your promise."

Luffy frowned immediately and stared at the straw hat again. "Yes, I did. I can't go see Santoryu even though we already wanted to meet each other two times already! This'll be the third time!" The boy clenched his left hand in frustration and Zoro stared on, wishing he could somehow make the boy happy again. "I want to see Santoryu, dammit! But things keep getting in our way..."

_I'm sorry, Luffy_... The green haired man watched the injured boy glare at the air in front of him. _I just don't know how to tell you that_... _Santoryu is me_... Zoro stared down at the paper. _And _e_ven if I tell him I'm Santoryu_... _how will he react? Will he feel cheated again? Lied to? Or_... _forgive me?_ He didn't know how he could make up for hurting Luffy's feelings so badly before but... he could do at least one thing. Promise Luffy that they would meet soon. He looked up from the paper to give the boy a reassuring smile. "You'll see him soon. I promise." It was the least he could do for now...

Luffy stared at the green haired man in surprise. "You promise?"

The green haired man nodded at the black haired boy on the bed. "Yeah." Zoro smirked and ruffled the boy's messy black hair. "I promise."

As Zoro's hands pulled away, Luffy grinned at his green haired friend. "Wait, so you _know_ Santoryu?!"

"What?!" Zoro blinked. "When did you come to that conclusion?"

"Well..." The boy pouted. "You promised that I would see him soon. So you're going to tell him to come visit me, right?"

Zoro stared at Luffy incredulously. "No, I don't know Santoryu! But, I'm sure you'll see him soon because well... you two are good friends, right?"

"Oh...!" The black haired boy smiled cheerfully. "Yeah! We're the best of friends!" Then he frowned slightly and stared at his hat in confusion. "Even though we've never seen each other..."

Zoro laughed and read over the paper in his hands. "So, are you finished with the letter?"

"Ah! Not yet. Write 'But, although we can't see each other tonight, in a few days I'll be better and then we can meet again!' " Luffy smiled and stroked his straw hat with his left thumb contently.

"Days?" Zoro smirked and pointed the end of the pen at the boy's fractured arm. "I don't think that'll fix up in just a few days."

"My burns will heal after a few days though! And I can still meet Santoryu with a broken arm."

Zoro frowned while writing down the last of the sentence. "Don't push yourself too hard, all right?"

"Mm!" Luffy grinned. "Oh, and don't forget to write 'Love, Straw Hat' at the bottom." The boy watched Zoro write down the words and he noticed the green haired man flinch as he wrote them down.

"Zoro?"

"Huh?" The man looked up from the page.

"What's wrong?"

"Uh, nothing..." Zoro smiled nervously and folded the paper before tucking it into an envelope. _He wrote 'Love' again_... _not 'Sincerely'?_ The green haired man eyed the black haired boy in confusion and started to slip the letter into his pocket._ Is Luffy even capable of actually loving someone more than a friend?_

"Wait! Can you give me the envelope?" Luffy reached out with his left hand, asking for the pen and letter. Zoro blinked once and froze in his movements.

"Why...?"

"Because I want to try writing something on the front of the envelope!"

Zoro stared skeptically at Luffy before handing the letter and pen over. The black haired boy smiled and started writing 'To: Santoryu' on the front of the envelope, albeit sloppily.

"Okay! Mail it for me, Zoro!" Luffy passed the letter back to the green haired man happily and Zoro smirked at the scrawl scribbled on the front. It was a tradition now, huh? He tucked the letter in his pocket and watched Luffy fall back on the pillows peacefully. The man gave the boy a small grin.

"So this Santoryu must be really important to you, huh?"

"Yep!" Luffy closed his eyes and smiled. Zoro felt his face grow warm and he forced it away quickly.

"I wonder what Santoryu means?" The green haired man smirked, thinking aloud. "Three...?"

"Three swords! Three swords style. I think." Luffy's eyes opened again, shining in delight. "I thought about it for a long time before, too. But I finally decided that that's what it meant. Sanji said it was a stupid meaning though..." The boy made a face.

Zoro grinned. "That dart head is the one who's stupid. Santoryu definitely means three swords style."

Luffy grinned and stared at Zoro. "Speaking of swords, I remember that you were using one when you saved me from that cannonball. So you fight with swords, then?"

The green haired man tensed and glanced down at the katana strapped to his side.

"Uh... yeah..."

"That's so cool!" Luffy stared intently at the sword and then yawned. He blinked his eyes blearily at the green haired man and rubbed one of his eyes with his left hand, still trying to stay awake. Zoro watched the boy's eyes droop even though he was trying to force them to stay open. _He's almost like a kid sometimes._ The man thought in awe, watching the cute boy yawn again.

"You should go to sleep." Zoro smirked.

"But I'm not tired..." Luffy almost closed his eyes as he spoke. Zoro chuckled.

"Just go to sleep, you idiot. You had a tough day." The green haired man sat back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. "Besides, you want to get better soon so you can see Santoryu, right? Go to sleep and get better then."

"Will you stay and sleep with me?"

"But, shouldn't I mail your letter?" Zoro raised an eyebrow at the boy.

"Yeah, but after you're done, you'll come back?" Luffy asked, yawning again and he let his eyes close for a moment. The boy hugged his straw hat close to his chest and smiled. The green haired man leaned towards the boy and ran a hand through the boy's hair comfortingly.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll come back." Zoro smiled as he heard the black haired boy hum softly before succumbing to sleep. The green haired man leaned back against his chair and then pulled the envelope from his pocket. He opened the letter and read it over again. _"I'll get better and then we can meet again."_ Zoro smiled at the words and folded the paper back into the envelope. Then, he stayed in the room, watching Luffy sleep peacefully.

* * *

"Shit! Look at the damn mess those bastards made!" Sanji kicked at the rubble that used to be his room. He had already taken Vivi and Kohza back to their homes and had finally come back to his and Luffy's dojo. The blonde haired cook had expected to see only some parts in the wall blasted up but... 

"Why the hell was my room targeted?!" He grumbled angrily and stalked off to the courtyard, surveying the rest of the damage done to the dojo. Luffy's room seemed to be blown up as well and there was a hole on one side of the wall. _At least the training hall isn't damaged that much. And some parts of the kitchen are still usable. But_... _my room_... The man thought bitterly.

"What happened, cook-san?" A soft voice full of shock came from the front door. Sanji turned around and smiled as he saw Robin standing at the doorway.

"Ah! Robin-chan! I'm sorry that I can't make you anything today... there was an accident, as you can see..." The blonde haired man frowned and stared at the charred courtyard in distaste._ This is embarrassing to look at, dammit!_ He quickly led Robin out of the dojo and smiled. "Why don't I treat you to some lovely desserts instead?"

"Cook-san, if I noticed correctly, your room was ruined..."

Sanji's smile faltered. "Well, yes..."

"Where will you stay during the night then? Do you have enough money to rent a room at a hotel?"

Sanji fidgeted. "I have enough to treat a beautiful lady to dessert..."

"Cook-san..."

"All right, I don't know where I'll stay!" The blonde haired man groaned, giving the answer Robin wanted. He watched a few people hurriedly walk by with stretchers and he sighed, turning his attention back on the road, refusing to look at the dark haired woman walking beside him. "I'll probably just sleep in the kitchen..."

Robin watched the blonde haired man shove his hands into his pockets miserably. Then, she smiled as a thought came to her. "Why don't you stay at my home? I have one more room. It's not a very large one, but it should at least fit you and Luffy."

Sanji blinked in surprise, but it was quickly replaced with a look of joy. "You are so generous, Robin-chan!" Sanji praised exuberantly. "Luffy's at Kaya's home though, so he'll probably stay there. But are you sure we can stay? It might take a while to repair the dojo."

The dark haired woman laughed softly. "Of course. We have all been friends for a long time, haven't we? But, what happened to Luffy? Why is he at Kaya's house? Is he...?"

"He's fine. Just trying to protect the dojo as usual." The blonde haired cook smirked as Robin smiled in relief. Then he offered her an arm. "So... would you still like some dessert?"

Robin smiled and accepted Sanji's arm. "That would be nice, Cook-san."

* * *

"Kaya-sensei! We have another victim from the bombings!" A townsperson ran in, carrying a stretcher. The blonde haired doctor stared at the victims in worry. 

"I understand... we need to make more room for them. Move all the people who do not need immediate treatment to another area. Hurry!"

"Hai!"

Zoro woke up from his short nap and he turned his eyes towards the ruckus coming from the front door. "What the hell?"

Kaya walked in and studied the room thoughtfully. Zoro watched as the woman pointed towards the beds next to Luffy's.

"Kaya-sensei! There's two more victims. One of them has second-degree burns on their legs!"

The blonde haired woman stared around the room frantically. Her eyes landed on the green haired man and she licked her lips nervously before speaking. "Zoro-san! Do you think you can move Luffy-san to another house? We have a lot of victims coming in…"

Zoro blinked for a moment as a stretcher came into the room, waiting for Luffy's bed. The green haired man stood up quickly and nodded, picking up the slumbering black haired boy.

"Be careful of his arm. His burns should be all right. He managed to get far enough from the main blast of the cannonballs—"

"Kaya-sensei!"

"Soak the burns in warm water while I'm organizing the rest of the rooms!" The blonde haired woman shouted at the people coming into her house before turning back to Zoro. "Take care of Luffy-san." And then she hurried off into another room.

The green haired man blinked again before he was pushed away so that a patient could be laid in the bed Luffy was lying in previously. _There are a lot of people coming in_... He stared at the patients in the room and then glanced down at the innocent face of the boy in his arms. _Okay, I just need to find another place for Luffy to sleep. Shouldn't be too hard._

Zoro left the doctor's house and started off in the direction of the ruined dojo. Maybe there would be a place left for him to sleep? He turned a series of corners and found himself facing a dead end. The green haired man stared at the wall ahead of him and then turned around, heading back and turning at the closest corner. Then, after another series of turns, he found himself standing in front of his own dojo. _Well_... He blinked in surprise. _That's convenient_... Usually it took him two hours just to make it back home. But this time, he had stumbled across it in only a matter of minutes! It was almost as if he had been led there. He glanced down at Luffy and was half tempted to just enter his own dojo and lie the boy down in the courtyard so that the boy could rest properly. Luffy didn't look as if he should be being picked up or jostled right now. _But I should probably bring him back to his own dojo_... The man felt the person in his arms start to stir.

"Zoro...?"

The green haired man looked down and nearly dropped the boy when he snuggled closer to him.

"Where are we going?"

Zoro smiled weakly and a bead of sweat ran down the back of his neck. He didn't think it was possible for Luffy to get any closer to him but when the boy started to cling onto his shirt, he knew that he was wrong. "Umm... to your dojo. The doctor needed your bed for the injured people."

"Oh..." Luffy blinked blearily and smiled. "Okay, tell me when we get there." And then the boy fell asleep again, snoring softly.

"I will..." The green haired man nodded, glad that the boy had been too sleepy to notice his flushing face, and then he shakily started walking back down the streets again, forcing his gaze away from the adorable face of the slumbering boy.

* * *

"Here we are, Cook-san." Robin pointed to her home and smiled gently. Sanji grinned and nodded in appreciation. 

"How can I ever repay your kindness, Robin-chwan?"

The dark haired woman chuckled softly and opened the door for the blonde haired cook. Sanji followed in after Robin and came face to face with a surprised orange haired girl.

"S-Sanji-kun?"

"Nami-swan?!" The man's eyes immediately morphed into hearts.

Robin blinked and glanced at them. Then, she smiled. "Oh. I forgot to mention that Nami was staying in my home temporarily."

Nami's bottom jaw went slack as Sanji kneeled before her. "Ah, beautiful Nami-swan! I am so lucky to meet you again!"

She ignored him and turned on Robin. "What is _he_ doing here?!"

"I invited him to stay because his room was destroyed."

"B-but...!" Nami eyed the blonde haired man fawning over her. Then, she threw an arm up in resignation and shot an annoyed look at the cook. "Oh, whatever! Just don't bother me, you hear?!" And then she marched off to her bedroom. She had a feeling that she would need to learn how to use the lock on her door quickly.

"Hai! Nami-swaaan!" Sanji smiled goofily and danced around the hall, sending hearts floating around the room. _I can't believe I'm living with Nami-san! Just imagine all the things we could do under the same roof!_ He giggled in glee and cycloned around the hall. Robin smiled and started up a flight of stairs.

"Cook-san, your room is up here."

"Hai, Robin-chwaan!" The blonde haired cook scurried up the stairs merrily. _And since Luffy isn't here, I get the attention of two lovely ladies all to myself!_ He entered through the door Robin was holding open for him and smiled.

"Thanks, Robin-chan. I really owe you one."

The dark haired woman smiled. "If you need any help with something in the house, feel free to ask me. My room is on the first floor. Take a right at the bottom of the stairs and you'll find it. I'll be going now."

Sanji smiled and nodded to her before she left. When she disappeared down the steps, the blonde haired man sighed and walked towards the small bed set against the corner of the room. The man sat down heavily and surveyed his new room. It was a nice place... but a little stuffy._ No one's been up here in a while, huh?_ Sanji spotted a window in the side of the room and stood up to open it. With a hard push, the glass window shot up and a gust of cool fresh air wafted into the room. The blonde haired man sighed and leant against the wall, closing his eyes and enjoying the nice breeze. He opened his eyes and spotted a green head walking down the street. Sanji blinked and peered out of the window. _Isn't that the seaweed head?_ He spotted a familiar straw hat and noticed Luffy lying lifelessly in the green haired man's arms. _What's that bastard doing with Luffy?!_ Sanji shot down the stairs quickly and out the door, stopping Zoro in his tracks.

Zoro raised an eyebrow at the blonde haired man standing in front of him. _He looks angry at something_...

"What are you doing to Luffy?" Sanji growled, his voice threatening. Zoro glanced at the house the man had just sped out of.

"You're not living at the dojo anymore?"

"Answer my question, marimo."

Zoro's eyes narrowed in irritation. The shitty cook was ordering him around? Like that would ever happen. "Che, I don't need to." He started walking forward again, making his way past the blonde haired cook. But a raised leg stopped him from walking any further.

"Answer the question."

The green haired man growled dangerously at Sanji. Luffy's eyes fluttered open when he felt Zoro's muscles tense up around him.

"Are we there yet?" The black haired boy looked up at the green haired man. Zoro blinked and glanced down at the boy. His muscles relaxed and the man smiled softly.

"Not yet. Someone's in the way."

Luffy blinked and shifted his gaze to the blonde haired cook. The boy smiled while patting his straw hat down on his head. "Ou, Sanji! We're going to the dojo. You wanna come?"

"The dojo...? You were going to the dojo?" Sanji stared at Zoro in confusion. "Why didn't you just say so, idiot?"

"I don't like being told what to do." The green haired man said simply, staring pointedly at the blonde haired man, who was frowning back at him.

"And why are you guys going to the dojo, anyway?" Sanji turned his attention back on the boy in Zoro's arms.

"There were some patients who needed my bed! So they kicked me out." Luffy grinned.

_Geez, he got kicked out?_ Something important must have happened at the doctor's house for Luffy to have been kicked out. The blonde haired man sighed and lazily jutted a thumb over his shoulder, in the direction of the dojo. "Well, you can't go to the dojo. Our rooms were blown up."

Luffy's eyes shot open and he stared at Sanji with a nervous expression, grasping onto Zoro's arms to keep himself upright.

"And what about the training room?"

Sanji smiled. "The training room's fine. And the kitchen is still okay."

"Ah... that's good..." Luffy sighed and settled back into Zoro's arms.

"It's just our rooms and the courtyard that are completely ruined. We have to find somewhere else to sleep."

Zoro quirked an eyebrow and nodded towards the house Sanji had just rushed out from. "Is that where you're sleeping?"

The blonde haired man scowled at the green haired man. "Yeah, what's it to you?"

"Then Luffy can stay here, right?"

The question hung in the air as Zoro and Luffy both stared at Sanji expectantly.

The blonde haired man glanced at the house and then back at them. _Shit! They're going to interrupt my time with Nami-san and Robin-chan! Gotta think of an excuse, dammit._ He smiled sheepishly at the two males. "Well... the thing is... there's only enough room for me! Too bad, eh?"

Zoro stared at Sanji suspiciously but Luffy shrugged and smiled. "That's okay, Sanji! We'll find someplace else to sleep. Na, Zoro?"

The green haired man still kept his eyes on the blonde haired cook. "Yeah... sure, Luffy." He started trampling down the street again, past Sanji. The cook's attitude had just turned around 180 degrees, hadn't it? Zoro shrugged to himself. _Weirdo cheese head._

Sanji grinned and waved after Luffy and Zoro. "Good luck!" And then he rushed into the house eagerly. _Yes! Luffy definitely isn't going to interrupt me now! I have nothing to worry about._

* * *

The black haired boy watched as the sky started to glow with orange and pink. A cool breeze was blowing past and the boy snuggled closer into the warm arms circling under him. Suddenly, a familiar sign bobbed past his line of sight. Almost _too_ familiar... 

"Zoro... are you lost?" Luffy stared up at the green haired man who was turning around a corner he had already gone past three times.

"No." Zoro stared confidently in front of him and turned another corner. The black haired boy blinked at the man and then shrugged inwardly, watching their surroundings closely. A few moments later, they turned around the same corner again. Luffy snorted and then started laughing.

"Zoro's an idiot!"

"What?!" The green haired man stopped in his tracks and glared at the boy in his arms. "You have no right to call me an idiot, you idiot!"

Luffy merely laughed harder and pointed at the sign behind them. "We passed that sign four times already! Try that corner instead." The boy pointed down another street. Then he paused and blinked. "Where are we going anyway?"

"I don't know!" Zoro grumbled to Luffy. "I thought that I would just walk around until you found someplace that looked familiar."

"Are you stupid?" Luffy laughed again, causing Zoro to growl angrily. "I've lived here all my life! Of course this place looks familiar!"

"Just find a place where I can put you down and make you go to sleep." Zoro sighed.

"Oh, okay." Luffy's eyes furrowed in thought. "Mmm... Sanji was at Robin's house but he said that there was no more room... Vivi and Kohza don't have enough space for me and you either..."

Zoro blinked and stared at Luffy in confusion. "I'm coming with you?"

The black haired boy grinned. "Well, you have such a bad sense of direction that it'd probably take you all night to get back home! Won't it be easier if you just stay with me?"

The green haired man glared at the boy in frustration. "My sense of direction isn't that bad."

"Yes, it is! You passed by _one_ sign _four_ _times_ without even noticing. How could you not call that a bad sense of direction? It's worse than a chicken's!" Luffy flailed an arm at the sign behind them and pointedly stared at Zoro. The man frowned but gave in to the boy.

"All right. Whatever. Where do we go then?"

"Uh..." Luffy glanced around and then looked up at Zoro. He smiled as an idea hit him. "Oh! We could go to your dojo."

"What?"

"Yeah! You have space, right? I remember that your dojo was really big! You probably have five bedrooms or something."

Zoro stared at Luffy blankly. "Why the hell would I have so many rooms?"

"I don't know. Let's just go!" Luffy tugged on the green haired man's shirt. "Let's go, Zoro! Your dojo is really cool. And I haven't been to your dojo since that time we fought!"

They stared at each other in silence as the words hung in the air, bringing back uncomfortable memories. Zoro shifted from foot to foot and Luffy smiled in embarrassment.

"Uh..." The green haired man stared at the houses surrounding them. The sun was starting to disappear under the horizon and a chilly breeze blew by, scattering dark orange petals through the air. Suddenly, Luffy poked the man in the chest playfully.

"You still owe me a match."

Zoro smirked, starting to feel the awkwardness ebb away. "Yeah, but you won't be able to beat me. Especially with that arm of yours."

Luffy frowned. "Of course I can beat you. Just you wait! I'll be better in no time. And then I'll kick your ass!"

They grinned at each other and walked down the street. After a couple more turns and with Luffy's help, the two finally reached their destination.

"Wow! It still looks cool even at night!" Luffy stared in awe at the glowing lights outside of Zoro's dojo. The green haired man blinked. _I didn't turn those on_... _is Usopp inside?_ He trampled through the front doors and spotted the long nosed boy lying in the middle of the courtyard with Chopper. Zoro smiled as the blue nosed dog barked happily and bounded over. He started to walk into his bedroom with Luffy. _Wait_... _Chopper?_ The green haired man paused and looked down at the boy in his arms. The dog was coming closer and barking in glee. A look of horror crossed Zoro's face. _Shit! Chopper!_ He quickly entered the bedroom and set Luffy down on a few sheets. Then, he hurried back to the door. But before he could slide the door of his bedroom shut, Chopper squeezed past and jumped on Zoro.

Luffy propped himself up on his left elbow and stared at the dog in awe. "Hey! That's...!"

_Dammit! Too late! _Zoro tried to push the blue nosed dog off of him and he eyed the black haired boy sitting up on the sheets. Luffy was staring at Chopper with delight.

"That's Santoryu's dog! Chopper!"

The blue nosed dog turned around when he heard his name. When Chopper finally noticed Luffy sitting on Zoro's makeshift bed, he ducked behind Zoro's legs anxiously.

The black haired boy laughed and tried to stand up so that he could walk over to the blue nosed dog. "It's Chopper, Zoro! Santoryu's dog! Santoryu's? Wait..."

Zoro gulped as Luffy turned his gaze on him. He looked away from the boy's eyes and stared nervously at the bedroom wall. "I can explain, Luffy..."

"Zoro... you..."

_Dammit, I didn't want Luffy to find out this way! _The green haired man grit his teeth.

"You... you lied to me!" The black haired boy fell back on the makeshift bed, staring at Zoro in shock and hurt. The green haired man turned his eyes back upon the boy and walked over slowly.

"I... I'm sorry, Luffy. I wanted to tell you... but..."

"You told me you didn't know who Santoryu was! But what's his dog doing in your dojo? You know who Santoryu is, don't you?!" Luffy shouted, pointing at Chopper. Zoro blinked in surprise. _What? He doesn't know that_... _I'm Santoryu yet_... The man didn't know whether to laugh or to scream.

"Uh..." Zoro stared down at Chopper, who was sniffing at Luffy curiously. "Well, actually..." He eyed the black haired boy. _Quick! Think of something, quick!_ "I don't know who Santoryu is but... um... when I came into town a few days ago, this dog grew attached to me. Yeah. So he likes to come over to my dojo sometimes."

Chopper blinked and glanced at Zoro in confusion. The green haired man stared at the dog irritably. _Just play along, dammit!_

"I named him Blue because of his nose..." Zoro smirked and kneeled down to ruffle the dog's head. "Isn't that right, Blue?" Chopper shot an annoyed look at the man but enjoyed the attention nevertheless.

"Oh! I see..." Luffy blinked and pushed himself over so he could pat the dog as well. A small smile graced his lips as he pet Chopper. "But you shouldn't call him Blue. His name is Chopper!"

Zoro chuckled. "All right. Chopper it is."

The blue nosed dog barked happily. The green haired man gently pushed Luffy back onto the sheets.

"You should get some sleep. It's getting late."

"Oh yeah! I need to get better soon so I can meet Santoryu and fix the dojo. And I need to challenge you to another match. Good night, Zoro!" Luffy smiled and relaxed into the sheets, closing his eyes. Zoro smirked and threw a blanket over the boy. A few moments later, he watched Luffy's chest start to rise and fall to a slow rhythm.

"What do you think of him, Chopper?"

The blue nosed dog's nose twitched happily and Zoro grinned, giving a rough shake to the dog's ears. He sat in his bedroom, merely watching Luffy's slumbering form. Then he spotted his swords propped against the wall behind Luffy. _Right, I better hide everything before he wakes up_... And now that he was home, he had to write a reply letter to Straw Hat, too...

* * *

**To be continued...!**

And that was chapter seven of Under Mirangu Branches. I hope you've enjoyed it! And thank you very much for all of your reviews so far. I really appreciate your thoughts! I'll be trying my best on the next chapter then. Please look forward to it!


	8. Under these Branches

_Thank you for your reviews! Now, I highly recommend you to take the time to get something nice to eat while reading this chapter. Then, you'll get toothaches from all the sweetness and fluff! And there will be more Sanji x Nami at the end of this chapter. Please enjoy!_

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**- 8 -**

* * *

Luffy's eyes opened slowly and stared up at the foreign ceiling over him. He shifted slightly and glanced around in curiosity, trying to grasp on to what had happened the other day. He spotted his straw hat lying beside him, on the ground, without harm. _Sanji said that we couldn't sleep at the dojo so_... _Zoro brought me to his dojo_... The black haired boy propped himself up on his side with his left elbow and found the green haired man on the floor a few feet away, sprawled out on his back and snoring loudly. Luffy stared at Zoro's figure for a while before smiling secretly to himself and crawling over. When he was close enough, the boy sat in front of Zoro and carefully observed the man's mouth. It opened widely to snore loudly and then grew smaller again, breathing out slowly. Somehow... it was all in a strangely calming pattern. The boy giggled and surveyed the rest of the green haired man's face. The man was cool looking, even in his sleep...! Suddenly, growing an unstoppable urge, Luffy poked the man in the cheek a few times with his finger and he laughed as Zoro's eyebrow twitched. The boy poked the man again around different areas on the face. Zoro's next snore seemed to catch in his throat and his eyebrows scrunched together in annoyance. A lazy hand lifted up to swat away Luffy's irritating finger. And then, the snores continued. Luffy laughed again and watched Zoro's face, just enjoying the peacefulness of the moment. His brown eyes lifted, drawn to the green hair on the top of Zoro's head. It was what had made him notice the man in the first place... As if in a trance, Luffy reached his hand towards the hair tentatively. Would it feel spiky? Or soft? 

A loud barking came from outside of the room, surprising the black haired boy. His hand shot back to his side and his face grew warm in embarrassment. Luffy glanced over at the door of the bedroom nervously. Why was he feeling so nervous? Was it because he didn't want to be caught trying to touch Zoro's hair? His cheeks were still a little pink when he heard Zoro start to stir.

The green haired man grumbled and scratched his stomach idly. Slowly, his eyes opened and he blinked at Luffy blearily. "Is it morning already?" Zoro sat up and rubbed his eyes. Then, he peered at Luffy again curiously, noticing the boy's pinkish cheeks. "You okay? You look a little sick..."

The black haired boy blinked and quickly forced the blush away. He grinned at Zoro. "Yeah, I'm fine. But I heard a dog bark from outside. It sounded kind of angry..."

The green haired man suddenly realized why Chopper would be barking so early in the morning. "Oh shit." He groaned and stood up quickly, running a hand through his hair in discomfort. "Gotta go feed Chopper." He had been so busy packing away and checking the entire dojo for anything Santoryu related that he had forgotten to fix the blue nosed dog a meal.

Luffy blinked at Zoro. "Chopper comes to your place for food?"

The man stopped in his tracks and shot a nervous glance towards the black haired boy blinking up at him. "Uh... yeah. I don't know why myself. Maybe that Santoryu guy doesn't feed him enough."

Luffy frowned. "Are you saying that Santoryu is a bad person?"

Zoro smiled and started out the door. "Of course not. Maybe Chopper just has a large appetite."

The black haired boy watched Zoro leave, not really sure of what to say. But he knew one thing that he wanted. _I want to feed Chopper, too!_ Luffy smiled and climbed up on his feet shakily. His burns still hurt as he moved but at least he wasn't as exhausted as the day before. The boy left the bedroom slowly and when he lifted his head to study his surroundings, his jaw went slack at the sight before him. Orange petals were falling down from a large Mirangu tree growing over the courtyard, like a flurry of orange rain. The sunlight shone into the courtyard, illuminating the entire inside of the dojo. It was almost as if the whole place was glowing. Luffy had been living on Raftel for years and yet he hadn't seen any scenery that was more calming and awing than this one. But maybe... it was because he was in Zoro's dojo that made him feel so at peace...?

"Chopper, don't eat so fast. You might choke!" Luffy heard Zoro's voice from a room nearby. He hobbled over hastily and finally reached the doorway of the kitchen. The blue nosed dog was wolfing down the food and when he finally looked up from his plate, the dog started sending Zoro a sad look. The green haired man rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. "All right, I'm sorry about forgetting to feed you yesterday! But right now, I don't want you to get a stomach ache either, okay? So try to slow down."

Luffy laughed at the scene. Somehow it seemed like the dog was the one ordering the green haired man. His laughter caused Zoro to look up from Chopper in surprise. "Luffy, what are you doing up? Your burns might rip open if you move too much."

"Aww, but Zorooo..." The black haired boy pouted and kneeled next to the blue nosed dog. "I want to feed Chopper, too!"

Zoro stared at the pleading looks upon Chopper and Luffy's faces and winced inwardly. There was no way he could refuse them now... He grunted reluctantly in response to the two and went to grab the bag of food that he always prepared for Chopper.

"Yay! I get to feed Chopper!" Luffy grinned, throwing his mobile arm around the blue nosed dog who barked in surprise. The black haired boy felt a sharp pain explode from his back and he slowly pulled himself away from Chopper. Maybe he shouldn't have done such a jerky move just then... The blue nosed dog stared at Luffy in confusion and licked the boy's left hand. Luffy grinned widely and lifted his hand to pet Chopper on the head. Zoro came back over and handed the plate of food to the black haired boy.

"Thanks, Zoro!" Luffy took the plate and held it out to the blue nosed dog. Chopper immediately dug into the food and the boy laughed happily, watching the dog eat from the plate in his hands. Zoro smirked and sat down on the ground to observe the two. He noticed that Luffy was very cute whenever he laughed, yet that laughter was at the same time so powerful and entrancing... it was almost as if the entire world was laughing as he laughed. Zoro watched him in wonder, drawn ever closer to the boy. Chopper licked the black haired boy's face, causing the boy to giggle, and Zoro found himself grinning stupidly at Luffy. He wanted to see the boy smile like this all the time. It made him happy to see that Luffy was also happy. _But_..._ I still need to tell him that I'm Santoryu_... How would the boy think of him when the boy finally learned that he had been lying to him again? Zoro suddenly grew very aware of the letter he had written last night, which he had hidden carefully inside his pocket.

"Oh, Luffy. I found this in the courtyard just a while ago." Zoro pulled out the envelope from his pocket and passed it to the black haired boy.

"From Santoryu!" Luffy smiled warmly and eagerly opened the letter.

_Dear Straw Hat,_

_You got into an accident? But, you're okay now, right? The most important thing is to take care of yourself. Actually, now that I think of it, I'm a little busy myself. So until you get better, we'll meet. And you didn't break your promise, Straw Hat. It wasn't your fault that you got into an accident. (Unless if you purposely stepped in front of a carriage or something_..._) So, stop blaming yourself. We can always meet again. And even after we meet once, we can keep meeting again and again and again until you grow sick of me. Because we're good friends, right? So concentrate on getting better, all right?_

_Love,_

_Santoryu_

_PS. I tried writing with my opposite hand. Messy, huh?_

Luffy stared at the scrawl at the bottom of the page and he laughed at it. "Santoryu can't write with his other hand either!"

Zoro chuckled and peeked over the black haired boy's shoulder. "Wow, that really is messy."

As the man spoke, his breath tickled Luffy's ear, causing a small shiver to climb up the boy's spine. Luffy spun around quickly and he gulped nervously, pressing the letter to his chest to hide the words from view. "Hey, who told you that you could read my letter...?"

The green haired man scratched his head sheepishly. "Sorry..."

The black haired boy watched Zoro awkwardly look down at his feet. The man looked almost cute right now, all embarrassed from his actions. Luffy smiled warmly, handing the letter over. "Just kidding! You're my friend, too. Na?"

Zoro felt his heart beat faster in his chest. It was strange to have someone so open to him... to say right out that they were friends. Usually most people just shied away because of his scowling face or the dangerous aura around him. Since his earliest memories, people had been beating and mocking him because of his green hair. But... when Luffy had taken one look at him, he had said that he was... cool. And the boy was so forgiving... who would forgive someone and become friends again just over an apple pie...?! Zoro smiled back at the boy fondly, and took the letter, reading it over. He smirked and glanced towards the black haired boy, deciding to take a chance,"It seems like this guy likes you a lot."

Luffy blinked and stood beside the taller man, reading over the paper. "Huh?"

"Here, look." Zoro smirked, pointing at the paper, blushing slightly. He was almost confessing to the boy now, wasn't he? "He wrote 'Love, Santoryu' at the bottom there. And he wants you to be safe even though he really wants to meet you..."

Luffy felt his face grow warm again and he snatched the letter away from the green haired man. "Stupid Zoro. How can Santoryu love me when he hasn't even seen me yet?" The black haired boy walked towards the courtyard and lay down upon the soft orange petals raining down from the large Mirangu tree. Chopper followed the boy out and snuggled up next to him in the grass and petals. He opened the letter again and read it over. A small blush rose in Luffy's cheeks and a soft smile graced his lips.

Zoro blinked in surprise when Luffy had snatched the letter away and he chuckled at the boy's reaction. The green haired man strolled over and settled down next to the boy peacefully. It seemed like Luffy really did love him back... _Santoryu, that is_... He corrected himself. Or maybe the boy was just embarrassed about being told that he was loved? That was probably it...

"Zoro?" The swordsman heard Luffy say meekly from his position on the ground.

"Hn?" He replied, staring up at the orange flowers growing on the tree above them.

"How do you know if you love someone?"

The man's head snapped around to look at the black haired boy lying next to him. "How the hell am I supposed to know? We... all love in different ways..." He scratched his head and let his eyes stray to the rock garden at the side of the courtyard. A soft breeze blew in through the front door of the dojo, causing a few petals to pick up into the air. Luffy licked his lips, preparing to speak again.

"But... have you ever loved anyone? Or knew that you loved someone?"

"Uh..." Zoro glanced down at the black haired boy. Curious brown eyes stared back up at him. "Well... yes."

"How did you know?"

"Because... well... I don't know. How do I describe this...? I guess... I liked being around them..." The green haired man smiled and stared up at the orange tree. Luffy watched Zoro for a moment before sighing in exasperation and sitting up straight, surprising Chopper from his nap. The blue nosed dog stared warily at Luffy and settled into a pile of orange petals away from the two.

"That won't help me." The black haired boy frowned at Zoro. "I've never been around Santoryu before! How am I supposed to know if I love him or not?"

"W-what?!" Zoro sputtered in surprise and turned to stare at Luffy incredulously. "No one said you needed to decide _now_ if you loved Santoryu or not!" Although it would be nice if he could know whether the boy liked him or not...

The black haired boy shook his head. "No, I should decide now so that the next time I see Santoryu, I can tell him."

_Geez, he's pretty straightforward, isn't he?_ Zoro raised an eyebrow at the decisive expression on Luffy's face. "Well, how do you feel when you get letters from him?"

"Uh... excited?"

"Anything else?"

"Uh... happy?"

Zoro sighed and shook his head. This would probably get nowhere... knowing Luffy, he could probably keep on asking how the boy felt about Santoryu and still not be able to make Luffy discover whether he loved Santoryu or not...

"Okay, how about this? Santoryu and that cook are in trouble. One of them will get hurt badly unless if you save them. But you can only save one of them. Which one would you pick?"

"Both!" Luffy grinned. Zoro almost fell over.

"No, Luffy. You can only save one. Look, even if you save one person, the other person isn't going to die. They'll just get hurt."

"Mmm... then I'd save Santoryu!"

Zoro smirked. Maybe he was getting somewhere now? "And why would you save him?"

"Because Sanji can take care of himself and fight off the thing trying to hurt him. I don't know if Santoryu can save himself so of course I'd save him!"

Zoro growled in annoyance. The boy was using another external factor?! "Okay, let's say they're bound up and they can't save themselves and they'll definitely be hurt. Who would you save?"

Luffy looked up at the sky in thought. Then he frowned in annoyance. "I don't like this game..."

"I'm trying to help you figure out whether you love Santoryu or not, all right?! So now that you know your options, who would you choose?"

"I would save... San—no wait... I would save... San—no..." Luffy's eyebrows furrowed in frustration. "This is hard, Zoro..."

"Okay, you know what?" The green haired man said, shaking his head. "How about this? If you had to save Sanji because you had no choice, how would you feel?"

"I... would feel..." Luffy looked down at the grassy courtyard and clenched his teeth together. "I don't like this. Why does Santoryu have to get hurt? Why can't I save him? And how does hurting Santoryu make me understand if I love him or not?"

"Just think about it. You'll know in time." Zoro sighed in annoyance and lay down in the orange petals littered around in the grass. He crossed his arms behind his head lazily, letting the black haired boy ponder about his feelings. The man watched Luffy stare off into mid-air and he wondered what was going on inside the boy's head. Zoro grunted and closed his eyes. Thinking about what Luffy was thinking would be useless. "I'm gonna take a nap."

Luffy seemed to snap out of his trance and he shuffled towards the green haired man. "Wait! Zoro... I still need help!" He pouted and stared at the man lying in the courtyard. All of this thinking was making him feel a drowsy again... and the green haired man looked very comfortable to sleep on... The boy smiled brightly and then lay down, using Zoro's stomach as a pillow.

Zoro nearly sat up in surprise when he felt Luffy's head settle on his stomach. Both of his eyes snapped open to stare at the grinning boy looking back at him. He could feel his face start to redden and the man quickly looked away. So what if the person he loved had suddenly decided to use his stomach as a pillow...?

The two of them shared a moment of calming silence. Chopper made his way back and let his head settle on the other side of Zoro's stomach. The Mirangu tree hanging overhead seemed to wave in laughter at them and more petals fell over the entire courtyard. A petal fell on Zoro's forehead and he started to think idly to himself. He would need to sweep up the courtyard later in the day. Otherwise, soon there would be orange petals filling the entire dojo courtyard. Luffy reached his left hand out and an orange petal landed in his outstretched palm gracefully. The boy giggled and played with the petal. He smiled and closed his eyes, basking in the comfortable silence of the courtyard. Suddenly, a loud growl came from Luffy's stomach. The boy blinked and glanced over at Zoro, who was staring back at him skeptically.

"Neehee." Luffy grinned and clamped his hand over his stomach. "I'm hungry!"

Zoro groaned and sat up slowly, jostling the heads of the blue nosed dog and the black haired boy. "All right. I'll go make some breakfast for us..."

Luffy's head fell onto the grassy courtyard and he smiled in appreciation as Zoro made his way towards the kitchen. The boy glanced over at Chopper and reached out a hand to pat the dog on the head.

"You must really like Zoro a lot, na? Always coming to his dojo for food." Luffy sat up and then regarded the blue nosed dog in confusion. "I know that Zoro _is _very comfortable to be around... but, don't you like Santoryu, too? Why aren't you with Santoryu?"

Chopper mirrored the black haired boy's look of confusion. Luffy let out a soft sigh and continued to pat the dog's head. "Maybe you'll take me to him soon...?"

* * *

Robin sat at her dining table, sipping on a cup of coffee. She opened the newspaper that had been sent to her in the morning and glanced at the headlines. 

"Cook-san? Was Crocodile the one who ruined your dojo?" The dark haired woman called to the man bustling around in the kitchen. Sanji came back out carrying a plate of French toast and maple syrup.

"Ah? Oh... yeah, it was Crocodile. How did you know?" He set the plate down in front of her and glanced in the direction of Nami's bedroom. She hadn't come out of her study yet... was she still sleeping?

"Here. Take a look." Robin passed the newspaper to Sanji and the man stared at the headlines in surprise.

"Crocodile Found Guilty of Town Bombings...? Wow, I always thought news traveled around here quickly... They already wrote an entire article on it..." He scanned his eyes over the words. "They even found out that Crocodile was after Luffy and Kohza. And he fired at the citizens, too... The injured people are still being treated by Kaya-sensei in her house." The article started to describe about how Luffy had been protecting his dojo from bombardment and had suffered minor burns. _And a fractured arm_... The blonde haired man frowned at the article. The article started to remind him that when he followed after the townspeople towards the tower Crocodile and Buggy were in, the cannonballs started raining down on them instead of on the dojo. _So that damn kid hit some of us, huh?_ He scowled and read another bit of the article. "He goes on trial today at noon in the city hall..."

Robin watched silently as Sanji's expression turned sourer as he read through the article. When the blonde haired man finally flung the article away from him carelessly, she spoke up. "Someone should tell Luffy about the trial..."

Sanji's eyebrows furrowed in thought. "You're right about that... but he didn't say where he was staying..."

"Wasn't he at Kaya's house?"

Sanji blinked in surprise, noticing his slip-up. "W-well... there were too many injured civilians so he got kicked out. And then he told me he was going to another person's place but he didn't tell me whose place he was going to..." He smiled at Robin awkwardly.

The dark haired woman merely smiled back. "I understand, cook-san."

The door to Nami's bedroom opened and an orange haired girl dressed in pajamas walked out, rubbing her eyes tiredly. "Good morning, Robin. Have you seen my purse?" She looked up and stared at Sanji with wide eyes. Then, Nami turned abruptly around, heading back into her room. "I can't believe that I forgot _he_ was here..." She muttered to herself in shock.

"Mellorine!" The blonde haired cook wiggled after her. "Nami-swan in pajamas!"

Robin laughed and watched as the door to Nami's room slammed into Sanji's face, sending him backwards. She sipped on her cup of coffee again and smiled as the blonde haired cook made his way over while rubbing his nose.

"I'm sorry about that," Sanji smiled sheepishly. "Where were we?"

"I believe that Nami will leave the house soon. So why don't you leave with her to find where Luffy's staying?" The dark haired woman said simply before taking another sip of coffee.

"Ah... I need to tell Luffy about Crocodile's trial..." Sanji nodded and straightened the tie around his neck. Then, he spotted Nami's purse on a chair and carefully picked it up. "I'll be back soon, Robin-chan!" And with that, he left the dining room to knock on Nami's bedroom door.

"Who is it?" The orange haired girl's voice came from the other side.

"It's Sanji! I'm here to escort you to wherever place you wish to go." He grinned, holding the purse in his hands excitedly.

"And who told you I was going anywhere?!"

"Robin-chan told me you would be going out soon."

"Oh. Um... why do you have to come with me?"

"Well..." Sanji started to lean against the door frame calmly. "I need to tell Luffy something but I don't know where he is. So, Robin and I thought that I could escort you while I looked for Luffy."

Nami sighed and pulled on a T-shirt. "That's why I'm asking why you need to escort me? Isn't he at the doctor's house?"

"Well, Luffy got kicked out and then he told me that he was going to find someplace else to sleep at..."

"What?! He was walking in the streets in _that_ condition?!"

"Well, no..." Sanji scratched his hair nervously. "... the marimo was carrying him..."

"Oh..." Nami blinked and then smiled, trying to picture Zoro walking through the streets, carrying Luffy in his arms. If only she had been there with a camera...!

"Nami-san...?"

She frowned at the door when she heard Sanji's voice again. "But I still don't know why you need to come with me. Can't you go find Luffy by yourself?"

"But, Nami-san! A beautiful young woman such as yourself might be ambushed by the evil men out there. You hear it in the news all the time, don't you? I must protect you!" She heard the blonde haired man explain from the other side of the door. Nami stared at the door warily. _I need protection from you, you idiot!_ She thought in annoyance. Nevertheless, the orange haired girl opened the door harshly.

"All right." He could be useful. One could never know for sure... "You can come. But you have to keep at least three feet away from me, okay? In all directions!"

"Hai, Nami-swaan!" The blonde haired cook passed her the purse she had been looking for. The girl smiled and took it graciously.

"Good."

* * *

"Nami-san?" 

"Hm?"

"If I may ask, where might we be going now?" Sanji walked three feet behind Nami, carrying a few shopping bags in his hands. They had already visited several shops all over town and the orange haired girl had bargained and bought the strangest things. Pots and pans, aprons, some chairs and tables... He didn't understand why she even needed these things. Didn't Robin already have these at her house?

"We're going to take a look at a space I found in the newspaper yesterday." Nami smiled happily. Sanji merely stared at her curiously. They rounded a corner and spotted a familiar dojo.

"Isn't that your fiancé's...?"

"It's Zoro's dojo. But we're not going in there. We're going in _there_." She pointed at the small cozy house sitting next to the large dojo. Sanji blinked and followed after Nami. Why didn't she want to go to Zoro's dojo? And now that he thought about it, what was Nami doing in Robin's house in the first place? How come he hadn't thought about it before?!

"Nami-san...? Why aren't you at marimo's—?"

"Because I moved out."

"What?!" Sanji stopped in his tracks. Nami didn't turn to look at him and continued walking towards the small house.

"I broke off the engagement. I..." She stopped walking, "... didn't love him..."

"You didn't... love him? You're not engaged anymore?" Sanji stared at the back of Nami's head in surprise.

"And now..." She turned around and smiled at him. "I'm just looking for the right guy."

The blonde haired man felt his heart beat faster and a blush rose in his cheeks. "Ah... uh..." Sanji gulped once and then a wide smile broke out across his face. "I love you so much, Nami-swaaan!" He ran towards her with arms spread open, ready to embrace the orange haired girl, but she quickly kicked him away.

"I said three feet away, you moron!" She yelled irritably and spun on her heel, heading towards the small house beside Zoro's dojo. The orange haired girl hid her embarrassment with her hair. What guy yelled 'I love you' on the streets that loudly?! No one in their right mind would do that!

Sanji picked himself up and grinned stupidly as they entered the small blue house Nami had wanted to see. It was very cozy. A two-story building with a slightly angled roof. The front lawn had been carefully trimmed and taken care of. One wooden staircase connected the top and bottom floors. And there was a reliable kitchen, working bathroom, and one bedroom large enough to fit at least three people.

Nami tested the wooden floorboards carefully. They weren't polished but they weren't too creaky either. She nodded contently. With a little cleaning up, polishing, and painting, this place would be perfect for her business.

"Ah! You must be the one who called." One of the floorboards popped open and an old hag climbed up. Nami and Sanji jumped back in surprise. Where had she come from?! The old hag smiled gestured to the walls with a shriveled hand. "How do you like the place? It would be perfect for a couple like you two."

"What?!" Nami jumped away from Sanji and waved her hands nervously. "Oh, you're mistaken! W-we're not... we're not..."

"We're not together." Sanji smiled at the old hag, helping Nami finish her sentence. The orange haired girl blinked and stared at the blonde haired man. She had half expected him to start wiggling all over the place, claiming that they were married...

"Ah, I understand. I'm sorry." The old hag grinned, showing a few missing teeth. "But you two would make a cute couple for sure."

Sanji smiled happily, a hopeful expression on his face. "You think so?"

Nami scowled and pushed the blonde into the wall. "Anyway, I like this place. How much are you selling it for?"

"500,000 keri." The old hag held up five fingers in front of her seriously. Nami stared at the woman with a wary eye.

"I don't know... I mean, look at these floorboards." She stepped on one that was particularly creaky. "How about 100,000 keri?"

"The front lawn is in perfect condition and the bathroom is still working. What else do you expect? 450,000. I'll go no less."

Nami frowned inwardly. _This woman's pretty good_... She put her hands on her hips and tapped her foot impatiently. "250,000."

"450,000. No less. I know the worth of this place."

"Fine, I'm sure I can find a better bargain someplace else." Nami huffed and started out the door.

"Good luck! And come back when you're done looking!" The old woman called.

Sanji watched the orange haired girl's face contort in annoyance as she walked past him. _She really wants this place_... He glanced at the old woman and made his way over.

"Miss, you have great bargaining skills." He smiled charmingly. The old woman blinked and stared at him in interest.

"Why thank you."

"May I ask one question, miss?"

"Of course." The old hag smiled.

"How many deals do you make a day? With those skills, you must make _countless_!" He let his arm swoop in a fancy gesture. Nami stopped at the doorway and turned to stare at scene curiously.

"You flatter me. I only make about three deals a day."

"And great ones, too, I bet!" Sanji grinned and put a hand on the old hag's shoulder. "You make so much money that I'm sure you can spare one deal."

"Well... I suppose." The old hag blushed shyly at the sudden contact and grinned up at the blonde haired cook.

"250,000 keri. For this tiny house. You're such a great bargainer. Surely, you can make so many more worthwhile deals?"

"Well... all right..." The old hag smiled. Sanji smiled back and massaged the shoulder of the old hag a few times.

"You wait right here. I'll be back with the money immediately, miss!" He casually walked towards Nami and winked at her. The orange haired girl stood frozen to her spot by the doorway, staring at Sanji in shock. She couldn't believe that he had just pulled that off on the old hag!

"Nami-san..." Sanji stuck his hand out and smiled. "I'll need the 250,000 keri."

"Oh... yeah..." She pulled the bills out from her purse and passed them to the blonde haired man dumbly. Sanji gently took the money from her hands and started back towards the old hag.

"Here you are, miss." The blonde haired man kneeled and handed the money to the old hag. She took the money and smiled.

"The place is yours!"

Sanji looked up and grinned. "Thank you so much. How can I ever repay your generosity?"

"Well..." The old hag smiled shyly and stuck out her hand towards the blonde. "Perhaps a kiss."

"Of course, mademoiselle." Sanji took the hand carefully and kissed the top of the wrinkly skin. The old hag flushed red and ran out of the house as if she were on fire. Sanji stood back up and waved good bye to the hag who was no longer there.

"Sanji-kun..." Nami stared at the blonde haired cook with wide eyes. Suddenly, his perfect composure of a gentleman broke down and he clutched his throat.

"Bleh! Oh my god, I can't believe I just kissed that hand!" Sanji wiped his lips vigorously. Nami blinked. Then she burst into laughter. She laughed until tears sprang into her eyes. The blonde haired cook stood back up and smiled sheepishly at the orange haired girl.

"Well, you've got the house. What are you going to do with it?"

Nami tried to control her laughter. "I'm going to open a restaurant!" She turned to look at Sanji, who only stared back at her dumbly. The orange haired girl giggled again and leaned against the wall to stop the laughter that was threatening to burst out again.

Sanji smiled, not really minding that he was being laughed at. It only made him happier knowing that he was making such a beautiful girl laugh. "A restaurant, eh? You know how to cook?"

"I think I know a few recipes." The orange haired girl smiled.

"Would you mind if I helped?"

Nami's smile disappeared and she stared at the blonde haired cook skeptically. "What?"

"Well..." Sanji started to notice the signs of disapproval on Nami's face and he quickly tried to think of a reason. "Uh... Luffy's dojo won't be working for a while. And I think I should find a job soon to support the both of us. I'm a good cook, too. So..." He turned away and rubbed the back of his neck nervously. Nami studied the man for a few seconds and then smiled.

"All right."

Sanji's head snapped around to look at her. "What?"

"I said, all right. You got a job. I know how good your cooking is from breakfast. And it would be nice to have someone to help out." Nami smirked and crossed her arms over her chest. "Besides, I hate to admit, but I owe you one for helping me get this place."

"R-Really...?" Sanji stared at her in disbelief.

"You think I would be kidding about business? You've got the job already!" Nami sighed and stared at the wall in annoyance.

A stupid grin started to grow on Sanji's face for the nth time that day. He rushed towards Nami and shouted happily. "I'm in love with you all over again!"

She quickly punched his face, sending him across the floor. "You idiot! How many times do I need to tell you?! Three feet away!"

* * *

**To be continued!**

Did your teeth get fuzzy? Hehe, that was chapter eight of Under Mirangu Branches. Thank you and I hope you've had fun reading!


	9. Revelations and Resolutions

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**- 9 -**

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"Sanji-kun?" Nami finished cleaning out the open cabinets in the kitchen and started placing a few pans inside. She frowned, making a small note to herself to buy a stack of plates and utensils. "Will you come to Zoro's place with me? Usopp should be there around this time." 

"That long nosed guy living with Kaya-chan?" Sanji opened the refrigerator, making sure that it was working. He glanced at the orange haired girl. "Why are you looking for him?"

"He designed the dojo next to us. I wanted to ask him for some paint and polish."

"Ah... for the restaurant..." Sanji shut the door gently and smiled. "Of course I'll come, since you asked me to. I can help carry the paint buckets for you."

Nami grinned. He was starting to understand how she thought, eh?

"But are you sure you want to go to that grass head's place? I mean..."

"Just because we're not engaged anymore doesn't mean we're not friends." She put her hands on her hips. "And how else will we get paint for free? Of course we're going there."

"As you like, Nami-san." Sanji nodded, thinking back to the paint Luffy and he had used for the Grand Line Festival. He sighed inwardly, mourning the loss of the paint that had been blown up during Crocodile's attack. _Damn that bastard._ He scowled. He could've given all of the paint to Nami-san and she would've been so pleased with him! As he fumed over Crocodile, he suddenly remembered that he still needed to find Luffy to tell him about Crocodile's trial. _Where the hell could that idiot have gone? The townspeople said that they hadn't seen him_...

Nami and Sanji left the small house and trekked across the sidewalk to the large white dojo. As they entered the courtyard of the dojo, the two heard shouts and barks coming from the kitchen. Nami turned to look at the blonde next to her curiously. Sanji shrugged in return and peeked into the kitchen. The orange haired girl followed suit, peering around Sanji.

"Go Chopper!" Luffy laughed, picking up a spoonful of rice and flinging it at the wall.

"Luffy! Stop that!" Zoro made a grab for the spoon in the black haired boy's hand. But somehow, despite his injuries, Luffy danced away and clapped his hands together happily as the blue nosed dog jumped and gulped down the spoonful of rice flying in mid air.

"You're great, Chopper!"

"Stop it, Luffy! You're going to feed Chopper too much, dammit!" The green haired man snatched the spoon away from the boy before he could leap away.

"Aww... Zoro's no fun..." Luffy pouted. Chopper barked in agreement. Zoro shut his eyes in annoyance and pointed the spoon at the walls in the kitchen.

"Even if I let you have _fun_, who's the one who will clean all _this_ up?!"

The walls were covered with bits of rice and a few orange carrots were splattered against the ceiling. Green peas and eggs decorated the floor and more rice was stuck on the tables and chairs in the kitchen.

Luffy grinned as a carrot fell from the ceiling and onto the floor. "You will!"

"Exactly!" Zoro's eyes snapped open and he slammed the spoon onto the table. "And cleaning this whole mess up will _not_ be _fun_!"

"That's why I wanted you to fire food at Chopper, too! Then you'll have fun!"

Zoro seethed quietly and then sighed. "Nevermind. Take the spoon. Do whatever you want. I give up..."

"I'll clean it then." Luffy smiled, sensing that the green haired man was not feeling happy.

"How will you clean it with that fractured arm?" Zoro stared at the black haired boy pointedly.

"I'll eat it all!" Luffy grinned brightly. The green haired man's eyes widened in shock.

"You are not eating this!"

"Yes he is!" Sanji stormed into the room, surprising Nami. His face was contorted with anger as he glared at Luffy. "You're eating every last speck of food in this room or I won't let you leave!"

Luffy smiled. "See, Zoro? I'm eating everything."

Zoro nearly jumped back in surprise. "What're you doing in here?!"

"I'm making sure you don't waste any bit of food in here, you bastard!" Sanji spat out in anger. The green haired man narrowed his eyes.

"What did you just say?" He growled. Luffy ignored them and picked off the pieces of rice on the kitchen wall so that he could eat them. Chopper licked the food littered across the floor, helping Luffy clean up. Nami finally stepped into the room, sensing a fight starting in the kitchen.

"Break it up, you two!" She stood between them and crossed her arms over her chest. "Sanji-kun. Luffy's eating the food so there's nothing to be angry about anymore." She watched as the blonde haired man relaxed slightly. Nami stared at him in confusion. Why was he so annoyed when it came to wasting food? She shrugged it off for now and faced her former fiancé. "And Zoro, stop getting angry so easily, you idiot."

The green haired man blinked at the orange haired girl. "Nami? What are you two doing here anyway?"

"I'm looking for Usopp. You know where he is?"

Zoro shrugged. It felt a little awkward speaking with Nami face to face in the dojo... Especially since they weren't seeing each other on a daily basis anymore. "He didn't come by today. Check the doctor's house. He's living there." He shifted his attention to Luffy, who was popping a pea from the floor into his mouth. Zoro's eyes widened in horror. He was really eating all of that?!

"Thanks. Come on, Sanji-kun." Nami started out the door quickly, starting to feel slightly uncomfortable around the green haired swordsman. She was sure the awkward feeling would subside in a few days or so though. Luffy and Sanji stared at the two silently.

"What's wrong with them?" The black haired boy blinked. The blonde cook smirked and ruffled Luffy's hair.

"It's nothing, Luffy. Wait a second..." Sanji's smirk faded away and he spun around to look at the boy in surprise. "Luffy! You were here all along?!"

"Huh? You were looking for me?" Luffy blinked while licking rice and eggs off of his fingers.

"Yeah. The town is holding a trial for Crocodile today. Thought you'd like to know." He started out to the door, following after Nami. "If you want to go, look for the city hall at twelve."

"Oh... okay! See you, Sanji." The black haired boy watched as the blonde left. Zoro eyed Luffy.

"So are you going?"

"Yeah..." Luffy turned to the green haired man and smiled. "Yeah, although Crocodile wrecked my dojo, I want to know his reasons for doing it. He used to be my friend, you know? Or at least, I thought so..." The boy stared at the courtyard thoughtfully and then turned to face Zoro. "I might accidentally beat him up. So, come with me, na?"

"What?" The green haired man blinked, wondering how much more straightforward the boy could get. "But I still need to do some things at the dojo..." He still had to clean up the kitchen and the courtyard and he had to make sure Luffy's burns weren't swelling too much or infected...

"Then finish them!" Luffy grinned. Zoro groaned and stared at the kitchen, wondering how much more food was left to clean after the boy and Chopper ate what they could. His eyes nearly popped out as he stared at the food-free room. He could almost see the floor shine with cleanliness.

_What the hell?! _Zoro spun around to stare at Luffy, who merely stared back at him in innocence and confusion.

"You ate everything on the floor?"

"Yeah, I said I would. Chopper helped, too!"

"And you ate everything on the walls..."

"Yep!"

"And the ceiling...?"

"Yep!"

Zoro sighed and started out the kitchen doorway. "One less thing to worry about, I suppose..." He muttered under his breath. Although he put an additional note in his mind to take Luffy to Kaya's house to make sure he didn't get sick.

* * *

"Oh, Sanji-san. Nami-san. Good morning." Kaya smiled as the orange haired girl and blonde haired man entered through the doorway.

"Good morning, Kaya-chan!" Sanji chimed happily. Nami cleared her throat and pushed the cook back before stepping towards the blonde haired doctor.

"We're looking for Usopp-kun. Is he here?"

"Oh, of course. Hold on a moment..." Kaya smiled and then walked towards a doorway. "Usopp, you have visitors! Usopp...?"

Sanji and Nami watched the young doctor frown slightly and disappear through the doorway.

"Usopp! Wake up! Oh, Usopp, get up! They're waiting..."

Sanji and Nami looked at each other skeptically before turning their gaze back upon the long nosed boy stumbling out, half-awake.

"Nmmm? Nami...?" Usopp grumbled and rubbed his eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"We need paint." The orange girl smirked, placing her hands on her hips.

"Paint...?" The long nosed boy blinked in confusion. "Why do you need paint?"

"Just a little project I'm working on. I need paint. Lot's of it and cheap."

Usopp, now fully awake, stared at Nami suspiciously. "Lot's of paint and it has to be cheap?"

Nami tapped her foot on the ground impatiently. "That's what I said, right?"

The long nosed boy scratched his head idly. "I guess I could get you some..."

"Good. Get it now. And bring it to the dojo." Nami nodded and left out the door.

"W-what? Now?!" Usopp watched as Sanji and Nami left the house and shut the door behind them. He stared at the entrance of the house incredulously. "What kind of paint do you want anyway?!"

Now outside the house, Sanji glanced over at the smiling orange haired girl. "So, where are we off to now?"

Nami stared at him and shrugged. "I was thinking of ordering a set of plates and utensils... What about you?"

"Huh?" The blonde haired man blinked. Wasn't he just going to follow her everywhere today? "Umm..."

"What about Crocodile's trial? Aren't going to make sure Luffy doesn't cause havoc?"

Sanji stared at the orange haired girl, caught off guard by her sudden questions. Now that he thought about it, he was starting to worry about Luffy. What would the boy do if he went to the trial? Beat up Crocodile? And the black haired boy was with the green haired bastard. Could the asshole even take good care of Luffy? "I... I guess I should go... but..." He averted his gaze from Nami's eyes and smiled in embarrassment. He was worried about Luffy but... couldn't he be selfish for today? "I thought that I would be just following you... I mean, I would like to just be with you today..."

The orange haired girl watched the blonde haired man in interest. Why did he suddenly seem so embarrassed? Earlier, he didn't have any problems with shouting out love confessions or flirting with women... _Old hag, is more like it_... Nami smirked to herself before frowning at the man. "I never wanted you to follow me around though."

She noticed how his expression on his face seemed to fall as he heard her words. The girl snorted inwardly. What an easily manipulated man...! She put her hands on her hips and glanced at the large clock tower. It read eleven thirty. Usopp probably wouldn't be able to get the paints soon. And the blonde haired man looked nervous ever since she had mentioned Luffy. She could tell that despite his wish to stay with her, he was worried about the black haired boy. So maybe... she would do him a favor today. "Fine. I'm going to the trial. But only because it will pass the time. And then you're helping me with the paints."

Sanji beamed at Nami and nodded gratefully. "Anything for you, Nami-swan!"

* * *

Luffy sat in Zoro's bedroom, playing with his straw hat idly. He sighed and tossed his hat in the air, catching it with his left arm deftly. It was bo-oring... Zoro was off cleaning out the orange petals in the courtyard and he had nothing better to do. He wanted to play with the petals more but the green haired man wanted him to rest. Rest... that was what he had been doing yesterday. He didn't want to do _more_ of it... _When was Crocodile's trial again?_ Luffy stared dully around Zoro's room. _Around twelve_... He spotted a desk in the corner of the room and grinned, deciding to explore a little. _In fact, I'll go explore the rest of the dojo later!_ Luffy nodded to himself decidedly. He set his hat down on the floor and pulled himself towards the desk.

There was a stack of paper on one side of the wooden desk. A few pens were scattered across the top as well. The black haired boy frowned and opened one of the drawers. Everything looked so ordinary and plain... and why did Zoro need so much paper anyway? Wasn't he running a dojo? Shouldn't he have swords and armor and ninja stars stashed around? Ignoring the fact that he had been running a dojo a few days ago—and that even he didn't have ninja stars stashed in his dojo—Luffy stared into the drawer and found a few empty envelopes inside.

"Oh yeah! I should write a letter to Santoryu soon. Zoro! Write for me again!" He called once for the green haired man and pulled out Santoryu's reply letter from his pocket. There was no response from Zoro. _Maybe he's too far away to hear? Or too busy?_ Luffy frowned and stared at the stack of paper sitting on the desk. He didn't want to bother Zoro from his work, so... The black haired boy plucked a sheet of paper from the stack and then picked a pen up with his left hand. If he didn't want to cause trouble for Zoro, then he would have to learn how to write with his left hand! Yes, no task was hard enough for Luffy! Zoro was working hard to make sure he could come with him to Crocodile's trial, so he would work hard to keep his troubles to himself! The black haired boy lifted the pen up and tackled the sheet of paper.

* * *

Zoro sighed and swept out the last of the orange petals into the street. He looked up and took a glance at the large white clock tower in the distance. Twelve o'clock.

"What?! Already?" The green haired man rushed back into the dojo, looking for Luffy in his bedroom. The boy was concentrated on a piece of paper, scribbling away with his left hand. Zoro peeked over Luffy's shoulder, surprised by the boy's sudden impulse to write. Why hadn't he asked him for help? There were already a few pages scattered around the table. Some of the pages were undecipherable, just noodles of black ink on paper. Other pages were a little clearer. He could at least recognize an 's' or a 'u'. But as Zoro scanned over the page Luffy was now working on, he could read the 'Dear Santoryu' clumsily written repeatedly on the sheet of paper. So, the boy was practicing this hard just to write a letter to Santoryu? The green haired man smiled.

"Nice work there, Luffy."

The black haired boy jumped and glanced over his shoulder at Zoro. "Eh... thanks. Is it all right if I...?" He raised the pen up shyly.

"Sure, go ahead. You want to write to Santoryu yourself, right?" The green haired man grinned. "I understand."

Luffy grinned back at him. "Thanks, Zoro." And then he focused on the page in front of him again. Zoro watched the boy work hard on each letter of the words, trying to make it more and more legible. Luffy really was an amazing person. Always willing to work so hard for his friends... The green haired man smiled as the boy flicked the page away and grabbed another sheet of paper from the stack. But why was he here, staring at Luffy again? Oh, right...

"Ah... Luffy? It's twelve."

"Twelve?" The black haired boy mumbled, starting to practice on the new sheet of paper.

"Crocodile's trial."

Luffy's head snapped up. "Oh yeah!" He set the pen down and nodded. He could practice later. Now, he had to find out why Crocodile had ruined his dojo and attacked Vivi. He had to give that kid a piece of his mind! "Let's go."

Zoro followed Luffy out the dojo and they raced towards the main street. "So..." The green haired man started to say while sprinting beside the black haired boy. "Are you sure you can run in your condition?"

"I feel great!" Luffy grinned and gave the man a thumbs up. "And since I'm feeling better, I'm going to meet with Santoryu soon. I'll write a letter to him after Crocodile's trial."

"Ahh..." The green haired man nodded and studied the black haired boy. It was good that Luffy was feeling better but... that meant the truth would need to come out soon... He sighed to himself and tore his gaze from the boy running beside him. The truth, eh? If he said it, would it jeopardize the relationship they had now...? Maybe... he just had to try. The white clock tower was coming closer and closer towards them. Was this where the city hall was located?

"So, where are we going?" Luffy piped up and glanced at Zoro expectantly. The green haired man nearly tripped over his own feet.

"WHAT?! I was following you!"

Luffy grinned. "I thought you knew, so I was following you."

"I just came to this place a few days ago! How could I know where the city hall is?!" Zoro shouted at Luffy in frustration.

"Oh... the city hall! We should be running in the opposite direction then. Stupid Zoro..." The black haired boy laughed and curved around the white clock tower, speeding off back down the main street.

"Who's the stupid one?!" The green haired man sprinted off after the boy angrily. Really, just what went on inside Luffy's brain?!

* * *

"He's only a child!" A woman sobbed and wiped away her tears with a white handkerchief. Crocodile sat in a wooden stall, handcuffed, watching the people sitting on marble seats with an emotionless expression. Buggy sat next to him nervously in handcuffs.

"I-I never agreed to _this_, Crocodile..." The red nosed boy shivered and a bead of sweat rolled down his forehead. "I was just repaying my debt to you! I thought my bombs were just there to scare them! You never said you were aiming to _kill_ them!"

"What was that?" An old man with a long beard looked down from a tall wooden podium, standing in the center of the hall. "Did you say something, boy?"

"Shut up, Buggy." Crocodile muttered and continued to watch the crowd of people murmur. Sanji and Nami shuffled in from the back and settled themselves into seats.

"Order. Order!" The old man pounded a gavel on the podium, successfully silencing the people sitting in the room. He folded his hands carefully in front of him and cleared his throat. "Let us continue."

In the back of the hall, Sanji smirked and pointed at the old man who had just pounded the gavel. "Nami-san, that's Gan Fall, our town mayor. He decides many of the events we hold in town and he also serves as a judge for any trials or problems in town."

"Ah..." Nami nodded, watching the old man carefully.

Gan Fall nodded and started to speak. "So far, we know that witnesses saw Crocodile and Buggy firing cannonballs at the first dojo built on our island."

"Luffy's dojo!" Someone called from the seats.

"He attacked my husband, too!" A woman screamed from the side of the room.

"Put him in jail!" Another person yelled.

"Bastard!" Sanji hollered from the back and turned to grin at Nami apologetically. He couldn't help it. The orange haired girl snorted and shook her head, watching the people erupting into violent shouts and protests.

"Order!" Gan Fall shouted, banging the gavel down again. "Now... we are here today to decide upon a proper punishment for these crimes. Klahadore, the accused charges please."

A man with shiny dark hair stepped forward and pushed up his glasses with his palm. Then, pulling out a sheet of paper gracefully in front of him, he started reading. "Crocodile, charged for attempting murder and vandalizing other people's property. Buggy, charged as an accomplice to the attempted murder and owning weapons at an unsuitable age."

"Thank you, Klahadore. You may be seated." The white bearded and mustached mayor nodded and gestured to the people sitting out in the marble seats. "Now, let us decide what the proper punishment for these accused crimes will be."

The woman with a white handkerchief stood up quickly, sniffing her nose.

"Yes. Your suggestion, miss?" Gan Fall nodded for her to speak.

"He's only a child. Let him come home. I'll punish him myself! Please..."

A man from the side of the room stood up angrily. "He tried to murder us! We can't just let him go home without a fair punishment! I say to the prison!" He sat down quickly and a murmur of agreement seemed to sound from the audience.

"No! I'll lock him up at home. He'll never come out. I promise! Just don't send him to jail." The woman cried. Crocodile stared at the woman and smirked inwardly. He stood up and put on a pair of pleading eyes.

"Mum! Help me. I didn't do it! He forced me to!" The boy pointed at Buggy. The red nosed boy stood up indignantly.

"What?! It was all your idea! You told me that if I helped you, you wouldn't ask any more from me!"

"He's lying! I'm innocent!" Crocodile cried.

"Order! Order!" Gan Fall banged the gavel again as the murmur from the crowd of people escalated.

Sanji scowled in annoyance. That kid was trying to appeal to sympathy now, huh? The damn sneaky shit head... But... where was Luffy? The blonde haired man had half expected the black haired boy to jump up from the seats and throw a punch at Crocodile by now. But he was no where in sight...

"There is still some speculation about Crocodile's guiltiness. Can anyone confirm his innocence? Or disprove it?"

"My daughter can prove him guilty." A regal voice boomed from the front of the room. The room quieted and a man with long black curls stood up. Vivi sat in a wheelchair beside the man. He looked down and smiled. "Go on, Vivi."

"During the Grand Line Festival... I found Crocodile planning to attack Luffy and Kohza. I was able to stop them but he told me that if I told anyone about his plan... next time he would kill Luffy and Kohza..."

Collective gasps sounded around the room and Crocodile's mother sobbed heavily.

"So, that's how Vivi's leg broke!"

"The poor girl..."

"Jail, I say. Jail!"

"Throw him in the clink!"

Gan Fall banged the gavel down, quieting the hall. "We have evidence for Crocodile's guilt. Any objections?"

Suddenly, the doors of the city hall burst open and Luffy stormed in.

"I OBJECT!!" He shouted, panting heavily. Heads turned to stare at him questionably.

Sanji slapped his forehead. _That moron_...

Nami blinked at the black haired boy and noticed Zoro run into the hall behind Luffy.

"Luffy?" Gan Fall blinked in surprise. "You object to Crocodile's guilt...?"

"Ha? I objected to that?" The black haired boy blinked back at the town mayor. Zoro punched Luffy's head in annoyance.

"You're such an idiot! You don't just run in and shout that you object!"

Luffy grinned. "But that felt nice. I've always wanted to do that!"

"Let us proceed..." Gan Fall started slowly again, staring at Luffy cautiously. "As we left off, Crocodile is guilty. Any objections?"

"None!" Luffy smiled and dragged Zoro towards an empty seat.

"Now that that is settled, we must decide upon the punishment."

"Please! Allow me to bring him home." Crocodile's mother wiped her face with the white handkerchief again.

"Jail! A life time in jail!" A person shouted furiously from the marble seats.

"It seems as though we only have two suggestions. One is house arrest. The other is time in prison."

Luffy stood up, raising his left arm up in the air. The people glanced at him in confusion.

"Yes, Luffy?" Gan Fall nodded, gesturing for him to speak.

"May I ask Crocodile a question?"

"Of course..." The old man settled into his chair and clasped his hands together, listening to what the black haired boy wanted to say.

"Crocodile... why did you hurt Vivi?" All light heartedness in his voice disappeared. The people in the hall shivered and glanced at the boy sitting in the wooden stall at the front of the room. Crocodile stared pleadingly at the people. But they all glared back at him. He sneered, finally accepting that he had no way to come out of the hall innocent. Now, he could only try to lessen the punishment he would be receiving...

"She did that to herself as she went down the steps. I didn't do anything to her."

"He lies!" Kohza stood up from one of the seats, pointing a finger at his former friend. Crocodile shot a glare at the boy with dark blonde hair.

Luffy's fist clenched and he stared at the boy with slicked hair stonily. "Then, why did you try to destroy my dojo?"

"I was just trying to scare you. That's all. Nothing big." The boy shrugged. "I wasn't trying to kill you."

Zoro glanced at the black haired boy who was starting to shake. He stood up and put a hand on Luffy's shoulder. After all, he was here to make sure the boy didn't do something rash...

Sanji watched the green haired man trying to control Luffy's temper. Was it just him, or were Luffy and Zoro growing closer...? He glanced at Nami who merely shrugged in return. It would be kind of nice if Luffy found someone he could love... but did it have to be the algae head? The blonde haired man frowned, reminding himself that Zoro was also Santoryu._ Luffy really seems to love Santoryu though_... _He was so obsessed with him for the past few weeks._ Maybe he would ask the kid about his feelings later...

Luffy seemed to relax slightly at the green haired man's touch. _Thanks, Zoro._ He felt the hand leave his shoulder slowly and then he turned his attention back on Crocodile. "That doesn't change the fact that Vivi was hurt or that my dojo is now half ruined."

Crocodile scowled at his former sensei. He was lecturing him again, eh? Well, he had put up with it many times before. This time would be no different.

"Why were you trying to scare me?" Luffy asked calmly.

The boy frowned in annoyance. "Because you kept making fun of me in class. You humiliated me in front of all of the classmates!"

"You hurt Vivi and destroyed my dojo and almost killed Sanji and Kohza... all because of that?"

"A man has to fight for their pride, right?" Crocodile stood up proudly, sneering down upon the black haired boy.

"A man, huh?" Luffy smirked without a trace of laughter in his eyes. The people in the room sat on the edge of their seats, craning their necks to see what the black haired boy would do next. Zoro watched Luffy's hands clench together again. And then the boy shouted. "You're not a man!"

Crocodile froze. The person who always humiliated him was telling him that he wasn't a man?! Who was he to judge?! "What did you just say?!" The boy with greasy hair yelled.

"No man would fight for their pride by sneaking around a match!" Luffy shouted back ferociously. "A man would fight proudly. Face to face against their enemy!"

Crocodile stepped back and shook his head in disbelief.

"If you are a man, fight against me in a proper match! One on one! Don't do stupid things like attacking Vivi or my dojo. That's just cowardice, you bastard!"

Crocodile sat down in his seat heavily. Luffy was right...! That hateful teacher was right! He grit his teeth together angrily.

"Mayor!"

Gan Fall nearly jumped from the malice in the voice and peered over his podium to stare at Crocodile.

"I'm going to jail." The boy seethed, glaring at Luffy with all his might.

"No!" A cry from Crocodile's mother bounced along the walls.

"Shut up, mum! This is my decision." Crocodile smirked and stared at Luffy straight in the eyes, keeping a constant eye contact. "I'll serve my time. And then once I get out. We're fighting..."

"Bring it on." The black haired boy grinned and his muscles tensed in anticipation. _I can't wait to beat you up, asshole!_

Gan Fall glanced at the quiet audience and pounded his gavel against the podium. "Then it is concluded. Crocodile will go to prison. Because he is still a child, he will serve a total of five years."

Luffy sat back down next to Zoro and sighed. He was feeling so exhausted...! Being so angry really drained the energy out of a person. The black haired boy leaned against his green haired friend comfortably. At least he knew that Crocodile would be given a fair punishment and that none of his friends or his dojo would be targeted again.

Zoro smiled at the boy leaning against him and patted his head. "You did a good job..."

"Now, we will carry on in determining Buggy's punishment." Gan Fall nodded and watched as the crowd started murmuring to each other again.

* * *

People started pouring out of the city hall, now that the drama for the day was over. Nami walked out with Sanji, Zoro, and Luffy beside her.

The green haired man stretched his arms out in front of him. It was nice to be out of that stuffy hall at last. "Looks like that's finally over."

"So..." Nami started to say, glancing at Sanji and Luffy. "Do you have these kinds of meetings often?" Sanji had started shouting random comments during the trial, along with many other people. Even Luffy joined in a few times. Was it some kind of tradition for the people to join together and argue?

Luffy chuckled and eyed the large city hall. "Well, we don't have meetings exactly like Crocodile's trial today..."

"But Gan Fall holds town meetings every month." Sanji smirked. "Usually they're quite amusing. Lot's of arguments and discussions... Once you go to one of these meetings, you'll understand how many strange people actually live here." The blonde haired cook grinned at Luffy and the two laughed together.

Zoro and Nami shared a look and turned to stare blankly at the two laughing males. As if they weren't strange themselves...

"Oh yeah!" Luffy laughed loudly, holding onto his stomach for support. "Remember when Gan Fall wanted to make that event during the summer?"

"Yeah, he proposed a race to catch the most number of fish in order to celebrate the day sushi was created!" Sanji slapped his thigh, remembering the amusing town meeting from a few months ago.

"And when Klahadore stood up to protest...! Remember that?!" The black haired boy clung onto the blonde haired man to keep himself from falling over.

"Okay..." Nami raised an eyebrow at them. "I'm just gonna go back to the dojo then. Usopp probably brought the paints over already. I'll let you two catch up." She waved goodbye to Sanji and Luffy, leaving Zoro all alone with the two chuckling idiots.

"Uh..." The green haired man watched his former fiancé leave and then turned to observe the two males who were still laughing. Was it really that funny...?! "I think I'll head back, too. I still need to finish up on a few things..." The two seemed to mutter something undecipherable before erupting into laughter again. Zoro sighed and headed down the main street._ Weirdos_...

"And then that time when...!" Sanji gasped, trying to stop laughing in order to breathe.

"I know!" Luffy chortled and wiped away the tears forming at the corners of his eyes. "Those were really fun times..."

"Yeah..." Sanji smiled and turned to stare at the large white building standing behind them. How long had he lived here already, going to all those town meetings? Five or six years...?

"Ah!" Luffy blinked and turned around, looking down the main street. "Where did Zoro go?" The green haired man didn't wait for him!

The cook glanced around in surprise. "Nami-san is gone, too!"

"I'm gonna go back to the dojo." The black haired boy smiled and started to walk down the street. "He's probably trying to make his way back... but with his sense of direction, he'll take forever to get there!" The boy giggled, imagining the green haired swordsman staring in confusion at the wall of a dead end.

Sanji walked after Luffy quickly. The boy's focus had shifted so quickly to the marimo all of a sudden! _There must be something going on between them_... Maybe he should ask his question now. It would be easier to ask while the green haired man wasn't around to listen...

"Oi, Luffy." He jogged up to the black haired boy and shoved his hands into his pockets casually. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure." Luffy grinned. "What is it?"

"Do you love anyone?"

The boy stopped in his tracks and stared at Sanji in surprise. "What?"

"You seem really close to algae head..."

"Zoro?" Luffy blinked once and then started walking again, albeit slower than before. "Well... we are good friends now... I guess."

"So...?" Sanji peered at the boy, matching him step for step.

"What?"

"Do you love him?"

Luffy stopped abruptly in his walk again and he felt his cheeks heat up. The boy spun around to stare at Sanji incredulously. "Love Zoro?!"

Sanji observed the boy's reaction and smirked. "Then do you love Santoryu?"

"Do I love Santoryu...?" The black haired boy started walking again while looking down at his feet. His face was turning beet red. "I don't know... I don't really think about it... Why are you asking me this all of a sudden?"

The blonde haired cook shrugged and followed after the boy. He tilted his head up to study the clear blue sky. "I think I've fallen in love with Nami-san..."

Luffy turned to look at his friend in awe. Sanji had fallen in love? That should be good news, right? The black haired boy smiled and gave the cook a hug. "I'm glad for you, Sanji."

The blonde haired man smiled and ruffled the black haired boy's hair. "Thanks... but I don't think she loves me back..."

Luffy let go of Sanji and stared at him curiously. "What are you going to do?"

"I'll probably just listen to whatever she asks me to do and try to be with her at every chance I get..." The blonde haired man sighed and kicked at a small pebble on the ground, sending it flying across the street.

"Zoro said something like that, too..." The black haired boy's eyebrows creased together in thought. Sanji glanced at Luffy.

"What? The marimo said something like that to you?"

"Yeah... this morning, I got a letter from Santoryu. And then Zoro said that Santoryu might like me. Then, I asked him if he was ever in love. He said yes and then I asked him how he knew. And then he told me that he just wanted to be with them..." Luffy scratched his head and frowned. "Or something like that... I wonder who it is he loves?" Did Zoro love someone like Sanji did? The black haired boy scowled at that thought and suddenly felt an annoying feeling in his chest.

_What the hell?!_ Sanji blinked. The bastard, aka Santoryu, was trying to confess to Luffy? Then, if Luffy started to love Zoro, they would become... a couple? Wait... but if Luffy loved Santoryu but not Zoro, wouldn't the boy feel bad if he found out that Zoro was Santoryu and not separate people? Man, what an annoying situation. It made his head hurt from thinking about it.

"Sanji?" The black haired boy poked the blonde cook a few times. "Sanji, what's wrong with you? You stopped walking all of a sudden."

"Luffy?" Sanji suddenly spun his head towards the black haired boy. "Who do you like more? Zoro or Santoryu?"

"Ha? Why are you asking those questions again?"

Sanji grabbed the boy by his shoulders. "Because you should think about it, you idiot. Relationships are important."

Luffy stared at the blonde haired man in confusion and pushed Sanji's hands away. He shook his head and turned a corner. "It hurts my head just thinking about all this... look, we're almost at the dojo. I'll think about it later..."

"No, Luffy. Just think about it now... do you love Santoryu? Or Zoro? Or both...? Or neither of them...?"

The black haired boy stopped in his tracks and stared down at the ground. "I'm not sure..."

"Luffy... don't you have even the _smallest_ idea how you feel about them...?" Sanji sighed.

Luffy stared at an orange petal resting on the ground idly. "Well... whenever I get Santoryu's letters, I feel really excited. And happy. Sometimes I just want to write letters to him forever. And around Zoro... well..."

The blonde haired man nodded, urging the boy to go on. If Luffy told him how he felt, perhaps he could help him...

"Around Zoro, it's really peaceful. It's nice to be around him. Comfortable, I guess. It's fun being with him..." The black haired boy smiled at the small orange petal as it was picked up by a small breeze and flittered down the road. He started to wonder if Zoro was back in his dojo, sweeping at those orange petals...

"I see..." Sanji stared at the ground in thought. What Luffy just told him didn't really help much. It seemed like he liked both of them equally in different ways.

"But..." Luffy's eyes averted to the side and he lifted his left hand up slowly, touching the middle of his chest with his fingertips lightly, as if he were in a trance. "With Zoro... sometimes, I feel really warm here... and safe..."

Sanji smiled at the black haired boy. Finally, an answer he could interpret. "Then, maybe you love him..." Luffy blushed and his hand dropped down to his side.

"I do like being with him..." The boy murmured softly. He looked up at Sanji and his eyes shined brightly. At last, he knew how he felt! He loved... Zoro! When did that happen? The two friends walked down the street in a comfortable silence, Sanji stepping light heartedly from foot to foot and Luffy padding down the walkway, smiling secretly to himself.

As they came closer towards the dojo, the black haired boy started to remember the letter he was planning to write to Santoryu... Zoro said that Santoryu might like him! But... he loved Zoro, and not Santoryu. Luffy started to panic and he spun around to look at Sanji for help. "But then what about Santoryu? Zoro says that he might love me. And I like him, too. But.. but... What should I do?"

Sanji smirked while pulling Luffy into a small hug. He patted the boy's head fondly. "Meet with him."

* * *

**To be continued!**


	10. When We Meet Again

* * *

**- 10 -**

* * *

A green haired man wandered down another alley, glancing left and right for anything that looked familiar. Suddenly, he sneezed loudly and stopped in front of a dead end. Zoro looked up at the wall in confusion. 

"Not another wall..." He groaned and then walked back out the way he had come from. Turning another corner, he started to wonder whether Luffy had made it back to the dojo yet. _Maybe I shouldn't have left him_... Zoro thought bitterly to himself and trudged down another path. He had left Luffy with the weird cook, of all people. Who knows what the cheese head would do to the boy! But... it was highly unlikely that Sanji would purposely hurt Luffy... they _had_ been good friends even before he had become friends with Luffy... Hell, Sanji was even living with Luffy up until yesterday! The green haired man sighed and trekked around a corner. He spotted his white dojo standing across the street. Ah, home at last... He could feel relief wash over him. Maybe Luffy was writing a letter right now? Suddenly, a blonde haired man walked out, carrying buckets of paint. Zoro raised an eyebrow and watched curiously as Sanji entered the small building beside the dojo. What the hell was he doing? The green haired man shrugged, deciding to investigate later on. Right now, he wanted to make sure Luffy was safe and that none of his wounds had reopened...

He entered the dojo and found that the courtyard had collected with orange petals again. Chopper was lying in the grass idly, his tail swishing back and forth from time to time. Zoro smiled and walked towards his bedroom, where he thought Luffy would be. And indeed, there was the black haired boy, scribbling away with his left hand. The boy's straw hat was also lying on the table now, instead of the ground.

"Hey, Luffy." The green haired man made his way over to sit next to the boy.

Luffy jumped at the voice and his pen almost flew out of his hands. Zoro was back! He grinned widely at the green haired man sitting beside him. "You got lost again, didn't you?" The black haired boy watched Zoro rub the back of his head in embarrassment. He suddenly felt an urge to hug the green haired man beside him. That embarrassed expression deserved a hug! But the boy held back and returned to his letter, feeling his cheeks glow. "I was just finishing my letter..."

"Ah..." Luffy heard the green haired man say. "So you're feeling okay? No burns that tore open or anything?"

The black haired boy shook his head and tried to hide the rising warmth in his cheeks. "Nope. I'm fine." He forced himself to concentrate on the letter on the desk, but he could only focus on the man sitting next to him. Okay, this was getting stupid. Now that he knew that he loved Zoro, his feelings for the green haired man was being heightened to a greater degree than before. How was he supposed to act normal around him like this? He was blushing too much!

Zoro stared at Luffy curiously. The boy was acting really strangely... it seemed as if the boy was hiding from him or something like that. "Luffy?"

The black haired boy gulped as he heard Zoro's concerned voice. Wow... he never felt so nervous or excited before...! And just from hearing the green haired man speak his name!

He watched the black haired boy shiver. "Oi, Luffy! Are you all right?" Zoro turned the boy around and noticed how pink his cheeks were. Was the boy sick? The man put a hand on Luffy's head, feeling for the temperature. The boy's forehead wasn't hot or sweaty... so he wasn't feverish. Zoro watched in confusion as Luffy's eyes fluttered shut.

"I'm fine, Zoro." The black haired boy smiled, feeling the calloused hands pressed against his forehead. His heart was beating quickly and his face was still a little pink, yet... he felt so peaceful and happy... Maybe he was getting used to the feeling of love now. After a few seconds of silence, Luffy pulled away and opened his eyes to watch the green haired man. "Really! I'm fine."

"If you say so..." Zoro shrugged and watched the boy return to his letter. "I'll just be in the kitchen making lunch then."

"Thanks." Luffy shot a grin at the green haired man. "I'm going to be leaving later to send my letter. But I'll be back!"

"Oh..." The green haired man stopped in his movement and turned to stare at the boy. "Wait... you're going to send the letter...?"

"Yeah!" Luffy nodded cheerily. But he noticed Zoro's sudden uneasiness... The boy cocked his head to the side questionably. "Is that all right...?"

"Yeah... it's fine." Zoro gave Luffy a small smile. "Just... don't do any jerky movements while you're gone. You might rip open your burns..."

"Okay."

Once the green haired man heard the boy agree, he left his bedroom and headed towards the middle of the courtyard. Since Luffy was sending the letter…that meant that it would be sent here. He needed to get it before Luffy saw it! The green haired man crouched beside the blue nosed dog lying under a pile of petals. "Oi, Chopper..."

The dog opened an eye slowly and looked up at him.

"If you find a letter, hide it until Luffy is out of sight. Okay?"

Chopper stared at Zoro with a confused look but he nodded in agreement. The green haired man smiled and patted the dog's head. "Thanks."

"Zoro! Chopper! I'm going to send my letter!" Luffy bursted out from the bedroom, clutching an envelope to himself. The green haired man turned to stare at the black haired boy. Their eyes locked on each other and for a moment, they watched each other calmly. Suddenly, the boy had started to bounce over to Zoro. Luffy then quickly planted a light kiss on the man's cheek before racing out the door.

_Wha_..._? What? What?!_ Zoro blinked in surprise, watching Luffy disappear out the front door. He could still feel a ghost of the soft kiss on his cheek...

Chopper watched the green haired man turn hot red. The blue nosed dog snorted into the flower petals, sending a few flying through the air, and Zoro's head spun quicker than lightning to glare at Chopper.

"What are you laughing about?!" The man yelled at the dog, trying to fight back the heat spreading through his body. Chopper merely smiled knowingly and settled into a peaceful slumber. Zoro's eyebrow twitched and the man stiffly marched towards the kitchen in embarrassment.

* * *

Luffy sprinted down the streets, blushing brightly. He wasn't sure what had come over him. One second, he was coming out of the bedroom, ready to send his letter. And then, he saw the green haired man, standing so serenely in the courtyard... But it was okay to kiss Zoro, right...? It was a sign of affection, right? He was only showing that he loved the green haired man. And that was okay... right...? The boy instinctively rushed into a familiar post office and stopped in front of a booth. 

"I... I would like to send a letter to Santoryu..." Luffy managed to breathe out. Loving someone sure caused a lot of trouble... He didn't know if his heart was pumping so hard from the exercise or from kissing the green haired man.

"Right away, sir." A blonde haired woman plucked out the letter from his hands and stuffed it into the slot in the wall. After a small _ding!_ the woman smiled. "All done."

"Thank you." Luffy smiled gratefully and slowly started heading back towards the white dojo, trying to put his thoughts together before he went back to Zoro. What would happen when he went back to the dojo?_ Should I tell him that I love him?_ The black haired boy thought to himself. But what if Zoro didn't love him back? Or if he loved someone else...? Luffy's hand flew up to cover his heart and the boy stared down at the ground. His heart was swelling with excitement and yearning. Yearning to be with the green haired man for every single day of his life. If he told Zoro that he loved him, would the feeling in his heart... disappear? He really didn't want that to happen...

* * *

Zoro flipped an omelet quickly and shoved it onto a piece of toast in a plate. Then, he set the frying pan and spatula down in the sink and moved the newest dish towards the dining table. The green haired man sat down heavily in a chair and stared idly at the food. He could still feel the soft kiss lingering on his cheek... Luffy's lips brushing against his skin gently... Zoro slapped his forehead several times, feeling extremely confused. Why did Luffy do that...? That kiss was like a curse! Albeit a pleasant one... but still... he couldn't stop thinking about it! And then the black haired boy just sped off out the door! When was he coming back? 

"Zoro...?" The green haired man's head shot up when he heard the black haired boy's voice from the kitchen doorway.

"L-Luffy?"

They both blushed simultaneously and glanced around the room. Zoro cleared his throat nervously.

"Um. Lunch is done."

"Oh! Oh yeah." Luffy nodded awkwardly and sat across from the green haired man. He picked up a fork and started poking at his food. "Eh... well, I just sent a letter to Santoryu..."

"I see..." Zoro didn't dare to look up from the plate of food on the table.

"I'm going to meet with Santoryu..." The black haired boy added, staring down at his own food.

"Ah..." The green haired man smiled and peered up at Luffy. "I hope you have fun."

"Thanks..." Luffy glanced up at the man shyly before turning his gaze back on the plate of food. "Uh... remember this morning?"

Zoro stared at the boy curiously. "Yes?"

"Well... I figured out how I felt about Santoryu..." Luffy smiled.

"Ah..." Both of the green haired man's eyebrows raised and he nodded slowly. "That's... well... that's good..."

"Yeah..." The black haired boy forked a part of the omelet into his mouth and chewed thoughtfully. He swallowed and then put the fork down. This awkward tension felt really annoying...! He looked up at Zoro decisively. "About the kiss just before!"

The green haired man stiffened in his seat but didn't turn his gaze away from the boy.

"I..." Luffy felt himself flush red from head to toe. "I..." Was he going to say it now? But what if Zoro didn't love him? Wouldn't his heart feel crushed? And then the new feeling in his heart would disappear... "Oh, never mind..." Luffy let out a frustrated sigh and shoveled the rest of the food into his mouth. Then, he sprinted out of the kitchen hastily. What the hell?! Why was he running away?! The black haired boy hid himself in one of the training rooms and sat in one of the corners. How embarrassing... _Zoro must be still in the kitchen wondering what's wrong with me_... Luffy pulled his knees into his chest and sighed, covering part of his face with his left hand, trying to calm himself down.

The green haired man stood frozen in his seat, still watching the place Luffy had been sitting only a few seconds ago. _What?! He can't do that!_ Zoro shot up from his seat and ran out of the kitchen, looking around for the boy. How could Luffy bring up the kiss and then say 'never mind'?! And he ran off again! Leaving him hanging there! Something was seriously wrong with the boy today... Zoro rushed around the dojo, checking in every room. _Where the hell is he?!_

Luffy shot up from his seat nervously, hearing one of the doors outside slam open. Shoot...! He couldn't let Zoro find him. Otherwise, he'd have to confess! The black haired boy heard the green haired man open the door beside his door and storm inside. Luffy peeked out of the room and hastily sneaked into another, just as Zoro came out.

Chopper watched the green haired man and black haired boy jump from room to room alternatively. When Zoro wasn't looking, Luffy sneaked past and into another room. When Luffy was safe inside another room, Zoro would pop out, scratching his head in confusion. The blue nosed dog now stared in interest as the green haired man stepped into another room and the black haired boy came out, shuffling anxiously along the wall. The process of hide and seek kept on repeating. Chopper laughed to himself and barked at the two males cheerily.

Suddenly, a strange yet familiar smell caught his nose. He looked up at the sky and watched as an odd looking snail floated down into the courtyard. It was small and blue, with eyes at the top of each feeler... and a letter was stuck onto the bottom of the snail. The blue snail landed on the grassy courtyard and opened its mouth to speak.

"You've got mail!" The snail screeched before crawling off the letter and disappearing in a _pop!_ Chopper quickly tucked the letter under his paw just as Luffy jumped out of one room and into another. Zoro then came out of his room, sliding the door shut behind him. He sighed, unable to find Luffy, and walked towards the middle of the courtyard in resignation.

"I can't find him, Chopper..." The green haired man lay down in the grass and orange petals. He scratched his head in frustration. "Maybe he ran out of the dojo?"

The blue nosed dog smiled and pushed the new letter to Zoro. Then, he shut his eyes contently. Luffy was hiding in the bedroom. But, Chopper wasn't about to give the secret away!

Zoro picked up the letter and stared at the carefully written words of 'To: Santoryu' on the front of the envelope. How ironic. He couldn't find Luffy but he got the boy's letter. The green haired man sighed and opened the letter quickly.

_Dear Santoryu,_

_You write really messily with your left hand. See this writing? I'm using my left hand! Cool, huh? I bet if you practice, you'll get better, too. Anyway, I'm feeling a lot better lately. So_... _I would really like to meet you. We'll meet at the white clock tower tomorrow! Okay? At ten in the morning. The earlier the better, right? You better come this time!_

_Sincerely,_

_Straw Hat_

The green haired man smirked and tucked the letter back into its envelope. _All right, Luffy_... _tomorrow I'm coming_... He pocketed the letter and sighed, staring up at the large orange tree hanging over the courtyard. Tomorrow... tomorrow he would tell the truth. Zoro lay in the grass, breathing deeply. But how would he tell Luffy...?

* * *

"Ugh... I'm so stupid..." The black haired boy banged the wall of the bedroom with his head. Why couldn't he gather the courage to tell Zoro that he loved him? His head hit the wall with a dull thud again. "This is stupid..." Luffy glanced at the desk idly, where his straw hat sat carelessly. Then, he shut his eyes and sighed. He was starting to feel a little tired. He had run around too much today... Maybe it would help if he just went to sleep. At least he would be able to stop thinking for a few hours...

* * *

Zoro sat up straight in the courtyard. It was dark. There were stars twinkling above him. Did he doze off...? The man groaned and stretched out his arms. The last thing he could remember was planning what he would do tomorrow and then... yes, he had taken a nap. The green haired man stood up on his feet and walked towards his bedroom. _I should write a reply letter to him_... Zoro slid open the door and spotted the black haired boy propped up against the wall, sleeping peacefully. 

"You're back, eh?" The green haired man whispered and walked in to kneel in front of the boy. He smirked, studying Luffy's face carefully. Then, he grabbed a nearby sheet and covered the boy so that he wouldn't catch a cold. Zoro returned to watching Luffy a little longer. The boy looked peaceful... and incredibly cute with his black hair hanging slightly over his closed eyes. Zoro licked his lips nervously, remembering the day's events. Waking up to see Luffy, cooking breakfast and lunch for Luffy, taking him to Crocodile's trial, and then... the kiss... The green haired man frowned slightly, still confused about the short lived kiss earlier in the day. He glanced at the floor for a moment before turning his gaze back upon the sleeping boy.

"I... don't know why you did that to me today but..." Zoro paused for a moment. Then, he slowly leaned forward to give a light peck to the boy's forehead before sitting back on his feet. A small smile spread across his lips as he watched the slumbering boy. "... I liked it."

Suddenly, Luffy mumbled and the green haired man froze as the boy snuggled into the sheets. Did he wake him up...? As Luffy resumed to breathing deeply, Zoro relaxed. Right... so now he just had to carry out the plan. The green haired man grabbed a sheet of paper and a pen from his desk before sneaking out of the bedroom door.

"See you tomorrow, Straw Hat..." Zoro said softly and slid the bedroom door shut.

* * *

Sanji yawned widely and stayed in his bed, staring up at the cracked ceiling. He was back in Robin's house. Yesterday, he had spent the entire day helping Nami paint her new restaurant. He couldn't complain about being with her... but man, was the work tiring! The blonde haired man groaned and sat up, massaging his shoulders and neck. Then, he slipped out of his bed and opened the window so that the morning air could flow in. Sanji took a deep breath in and then sighed dejectedly. _Nami-san isn't living here anymore_... He leaned against the window frame and peered outside. The sun was just starting to climb into the sky and the whole town illuminated in a bright glow. Almost everything was still. No bustling on the streets or even murmurs of townspeople greeting each other in the morning. Nothing but the whisper of wind sweeping through the Mirangu trees planted neatly on the side of the road. Sanji smiled, observing the calmness of the morning. He always woke up this early... just to hear this peace... 

A movement on the main street caught his eyes. Sanji's gaze fell upon a man with green hair. The only person he knew in this town who had that kind of hair color was...

_Why the hell is he up?!_ The blonde haired man almost fell out the window, trying to check if it really were Zoro. He rubbed his eyes and stared hard at the green haired man again. It really was the marimo! And a blue nosed dog that Sanji had never seen was also on the streets, walking closely to the green haired man. The green haired man was turning into an alley and the dog quickly followed the man into it. Sanji raised an eyebrow in confusion. _Weird_..._ they just turned into a dead end_... The cook shrugged and promptly shut the window, deciding to forget about what he had just seen._ I should start making some breakfast for Robin-chan!_ He started pulling off his pajama shirt, planning the menu for breakfast. Then, he stopped undressing and his eyebrows scrunched together in thought. _I'll deliver some lovely breakfast to Nami-san, too. She must be feeling so lonely!_ The man nodded to himself cheerily and resumed his changing.

* * *

Luffy's eyes opened slowly and he mumbled something incoherent. The black haired boy stared at the bedroom blankly before remembering what he had been doing. _Oh no! I'm in the bedroom. Shoot, Zoro probably found me while I was sleeping!_ Luffy made a move to stand up, but he got caught in a white sheet that had been covering him. The boy let out a yelp as he fell forward onto his face. So... Zoro _had_ found him... 

Luffy sat up and rubbed his nose, trying to soothe the pain. Luckily, he hadn't landed on his right arm... The boy glanced around the room again and sighed when he spotted no Zoro. _Where could he be?_ The black haired boy stood up slowly and tip toed to the door of the bedroom. Maybe Zoro was waiting right outside...? Luffy slid the door open so that it only revealed a crack and then he peered out cautiously. No green haired man in sight...

The boy slowly opened the door more widely and slipped out quietly. It didn't sound like Zoro was in the kitchen either... The entire dojo sounded... deserted...! Did Zoro grow angry at him and leave?

"Zoro...?" Luffy called softly, glancing around the dojo. There was no answer. He stepped into the courtyard worriedly and noticed an envelope sitting in a patch of grass. The black haired boy stooped over and picked it up. Unfolding the note inside, he quickly recognized the handwriting.

_Dear Straw Hat,_

_I promise that I'll be there this time. White clock tower. Ten in the morning. I'll be bringing Chopper so you can recognize me. I'm even going to wear all three of my swords so you don't miss me. We're going to meet this time, and nothing will stop us. You can bring your straw hat, if you like. Well_... _I guess we're finally meeting, huh? See you soon._

_Love,_

_Santoryu_

Luffy smiled and tucked the letter back into its envelope. He would be meeting Santoryu at last! At the white clock tower. Ten in the morning. The black haired boy lay down in the courtyard and stared past the orange tree, up at the blue skies. His heart started beating faster and he smiled, thinking about his special friend. It was true that he loved Zoro. But, he also loved Santoryu in another way... What kind of person would Santoryu be? A cloud floated into his field of vision and the black haired boy sighed. He would be meeting him at ten in the morning at the clock tower... ten in the morning...

Ten in the morning?!

Luffy shot up onto his feet and he sped out of the front door of the dojo. What time was it?! He skidded out into the street, surprising a few people who were on their way to the grocery store. The black haired boy stared at the tall clock in the distance and froze. Nine fifty...! He only had ten minutes to get there! Luffy hastily rushed down the road, towards the tower.

* * *

"After you, Robin-chan." Sanji politely held open the door for the dark haired woman. Then, he walked in and set a basket on a nearby table. The house still smelled like polish and paint... The blonde haired man shook his head and opened the windows of the place so that there was more air circulation. How could he let the orange haired girl live here by herself? She could get poisoned! 

"Nami-san?" He called out worriedly.

"No! No! This wasn't supposed to happen!" The blonde haired man heard a girl's cry from the kitchen. Robin glanced at him skeptically and headed towards the sound. Sanji swiftly followed after her and found an orange haired girl trying to put out a piece of burning toast and towel on the counter. Sanji pulled Nami away from the fire and pushed the toast and towel into the sink, quickly extinguishing the flames with tap water. The blonde haired man stared at the soggy toast for a moment before turning back around to stare at Nami curiously.

"What were you trying to do...?"

"I... I was..." The orange haired girl averted her eyes from the man staring at her. "... making breakfast..."

Sanji watched the girl for a while and shared a look with Robin. The dark haired woman smiled and started walking out of the kitchen. He turned back to Nami and shot a teasing grin at her. "Okay, come here," He put his hands on her shoulders and steered her out the door to the table with a basket set on top. "I brought you my specially made breakfast of love. So, don't you fret about making your own breakfast. I'll take care of you." He smirked and gently pushed her down into the chair. Robin settled herself by the window and watched the two in interest. Nami blinked in surprise as the man started setting silverware, a napkin, and a plate of food in front of her. He wasn't going to laugh? He wasn't going to say something like 'Girl's should know how to cook'? Nami shook her head and sighed. Of course he wouldn't...

"I can take care of myself..." The orange haired girl murmured irritably. But nevertheless, she picked up the fork wordlessly and glanced at Sanji shyly. Then, she stabbed a piece of waffle and took a bite out of it. Almost instantly, Nami felt herself relax. Sanji's food was just too delicious to stay tense throughout the entire meal. The orange haired girl smiled and took another bite.

The blonde haired man grinned, watching her shoulders relax slightly. He was glad that she didn't turn down his cooking...

"Hm...? Is that Luffy?" Robin peered out the window. Sanji blinked and turned his attention on the window. A black haired boy was running down the streets. Then, the boy stampeded into the white dojo beside them. The blonde haired man scratched his head. It was Luffy, all right... but why was he running so hastily? He could trip and fall and then make his condition worse! He still had a fractured arm for god's sake. Sanji scowled and was about to stomp out the door to give the boy a piece of his mind when Luffy sped out again. This time he was holding down a straw hat on his head. Sanji stopped and watched the boy rush towards the white clock tower in the distance.

"Why was Luffy running around?" Nami put her fork down and stepped out the door, past the cook. "Shouldn't he be resting?"

"He ran back to get his straw hat..." Sanji looked up at the clock tower. Nine-fifty five...

"You don't suppose...?" Nami glanced over her shoulder at the blonde haired man.

"I've only seen him wear it to meet the marimo." Sanji shrugged. Robin looked from the man to the woman curiously.

"Let's follow him." Nami smirked and started running after the trail of dust Luffy left behind him. Sanji smiled apologetically to Robin and started running after the orange haired girl.

"I'll tell you later, Robin-chaaaan!"

The dark haired woman blinked once. She didn't really understand what was going on but... it seemed like Luffy was meeting with someone important. She started jogging quickly after her two friends.

* * *

Only five minutes left! He had to hurry! Luffy looked up at the large clock in the distance. Judging the distance, it should take about five or ten minutes to get there... The black haired boy willed his legs to go faster. No way would he be late. They were meeting at ten in the morning. And ten in the morning it would be! The buildings rushed by, townspeople jumped apart, trees blurred past. Everything was making way for him to get to Santoryu. And now, the only obstacle was time. Like hell he would let something like time beat him! The white clock tower was looming closer and closer. Three minutes left. 

"Woah!" He heard someone shout as he raced past, but he paid the person no attention. He was almost there!

Two minutes left. The black haired boy slowed to a stop as he reached the large white tower and he leaned against the wall, panting heavily. He made it in time! Now... all he had to do was wait for Santoryu to come. Luffy breathed in deeply and let the air out slowly, calming his heart. He glanced up in excitement. One minute to go. The black haired boy sighed and settled himself against the wall of the clock tower. Then, he adjusted his straw hat on his head. Santoryu would arrive at any moment now... Any moment!

* * *

"Wasn't that Luffy-san...?" Kaya blinked and shifted the basket in her arms so that she could help Usopp up from the road. The long nosed boy patted his pants of dust and watched as an orange haired girl ran down the street towards him. 

"Nami? What's going on?!"

"No time to talk! I'll tell you later!" The orange haired girl breathed out and rushed past him.

"Wha...?" Usopp blinked and noticed a blonde haired man and a dark haired woman following after Nami.

"Should Luffy-san be running like that...?" Kaya looked down the street where Luffy had just sprinted into.

"Don't worry, Kaya! I... the Great Usopp... will make sure he's all right. You go on to the store. I'll be back." The long nosed boy smiled reassuringly. The blonde haired doctor looked down at the basket in her hands and then looked back up at Usopp, shaking her head.

"I'll come with you. In case, Luffy-san gets in trouble."

They nodded to each other in agreement and raced down the road, following the cloud of dust in the air. Soon, the trail led them towards the white clock tower. Usopp and Kaya found the three people hiding in a nearby bush, peering over the hedge carefully.

"Oi, what are you guys doing?" Usopp called to Nami and started walking towards them. The heads of a blonde haired man and the orange haired girl spun quickly to him. Before he knew it, the two people had pounced on him and covered his mouth.

"Shush! He'll hear us...!" Nami whispered harshly.

"And then we'll ruin their meeting!" Sanji dragged the long nosed boy behind the bush. Robin chuckled softly and gave Usopp a small smile, lifting an index finger to her lips.

"So don't speak."

Kaya crawled over, carrying her empty basket. She knelt on her legs and peered over the bush. Luffy was leaning against the wall of the clock tower. He looked fine. A little out of breath, but it didn't look like he was in pain. Kaya sighed in relief. Then, she turned to look at the people hiding in the bush. She giggled at Usopp. "This is exciting...!"

"Shhh!" Nami and Sanji turned to her quickly and the doctor immediately clamped a hand over her mouth nervously.

* * *

_One minute left_... _one minute left_... Luffy chanted in his mind, glancing around himself hastily, hoping he hadn't missed Santoryu walking by. _One minute_... _one minute_... _one—_

"Oi, Chopper!"

The black haired boy jerked upright, looking up at the clock tower. Ten o'clock.

"Wait, Chopper! Hey, come back here!"

Luffy's eyes widened. That voice was very very familiar...

Chopper bounded around the wall of the tower and leaped towards the black haired boy happily. The blue nosed dog circled Luffy's feet excitedly and then stopped in front of him to look up. The black haired boy could only look down in shock.

"Chopper? Where did you go?" The voice was just on the other side of the wall now. Luffy gulped in disbelief and shakily turned to stare in the direction Chopper had come from. Was it merely coincidence...? A green haired man jogged around the side of the tower and stopped when he saw Luffy staring back at him. Three swords were strapped to his side...

"Z-Zoro...?"

The green haired man smirked and started walking slowly towards the black haired boy. "Hey... Straw Hat."

"Zoro... you..." Luffy stood frozen to his spot. He could barely connect his thoughts together. Santoryu was supposed to meet him here. At ten in the morning. With Chopper. And there would be three swords strapped to his side. The black haired boy's jaw went slack. "S-Santoryu...?"

Zoro smiled, staring straight into Luffy's eyes. "Yes."

"Zoro is... Santoryu?"

"Yes..." The green haired man nodded.

"Zoro is... Zoro is..." Zoro was Santoryu! And that meant that...! Luffy felt his mind grow clear and his heart quickened. "Zoro is so stupid!" The black haired boy suddenly shouted, surprising the green haired man.

"I... wha?" Zoro blinked and watched the confusion on the boy's face turn into anger. "What did I do?"

"You were Santoryu all this time and you kept it all to yourself?!"

The green haired man stepped backwards. "I... I didn't know how to—"

"And you actually kept your promise and met me at the Grand Line Festival?!"

"Well... um... yes..." Zoro rubbed the back of his head nervously. Luffy was getting really angry at him... What would happen after this? Would Luffy not want to see him ever again?

"And... and... you made me say all those mean things to you that time..." Luffy bit his lip and stared down at his feet. Chopper looked up at him in concern. The black haired boy shut his eyes tightly.

"I'm... sorry, Luffy." The green haired man stepped forward and reached a hand towards the boy. "I wanted to tell you! But... but I didn't know if we could still be friends after I told you..." Zoro watched the boy worriedly and pulled his hand back, afraid to touch the boy. He hadn't meant to hurt Luffy again... "I... you're important to me, Luffy..."

The boy tensed and his left hand clenched together.

"I... don't want to lose you." Zoro let out and then looked away from the boy.

"Stupid Zoro!" Luffy ran towards the green haired man with a raised fist. Zoro watched calmly as the black haired boy jumped at him. He wouldn't block the punch. It was the least he owed Luffy for betraying his trust again. The man closed his eyes, waiting for the blow to come. He would let the boy do whatever he liked with him. It didn't matter anymore... But nothing came. Instead, something warm and soft pressed against his lips. His eyes snapped open.

Luffy quickly pulled away before Zoro could register what had happened. The black haired boy smiled affectionately. "Zoro... is Santoryu...!"

The green haired man's hand flew up to his mouth and he stared at the black haired boy in surprise. His lips were tingling from the unexpected contact. Luffy leaned towards him and brushed away his hand before catching his lips softly again. Zoro stared down at the boy in astonishment. The kiss was cut short again as Luffy pulled back a little, so that only a tiny gap was left between their lips. The boy smiled again, blushing slightly.

"I... love Zoro..."

The man could feel his face flush red as his lips were tickled by Luffy's kiss a second time. His heart was nearly jumping out of his chest.

"And I love Santoryu!" The black haired boy grinned and captured Zoro's lips one more time. Something seemed to spark in the green haired man's body and one of his arms shot around Luffy's waist, pulling them closer. He could feel the boy's left arm reaching up to pull his head down into a deeper kiss and the man smirked, letting his free hand roam up into Luffy's messy black hair, knocking off the straw hat. Luffy... loved him...!

Chopper watched the couple and barked a few times to get their attention. They didn't seem to want to part... The blue nosed dog shook his head irritably and walked forward to pull at the bottom of the green haired man's pants. He could smell five people hiding in the bushes, only a few meters away...! They could be watching!

Zoro jerked back in annoyance and waved a hand at Chopper, trying to shoo the dog away. Luffy laughed, watching the blue nosed dog stare back at Zoro with the same amount of annoyance. The green haired man sighed and turned back to the black haired boy. Luffy grinned widely at him and Zoro chuckled, leaning down to press his forehead against the boy's forehead.

"Luffy?"

"Yeah?" The black haired boy smiled warmly, closing his eyes to listen to the green haired man's voice.

Zoro shut his eyes contently and grinned. "I love you..."

They stood there in silence, feeling each other's bodies pressed together, heart beats pumping in unison to a soothing rhythm. A soft breeze blew through, swirling a few orange petals along the ground. Luffy pulled away and grinned teasingly.

"But you still owe me a match!"

Zoro chuckled and then smirked back. "Of course."

* * *

**The end!**

There it is, the last chapter of Under Mirangu Branches. Thank you very much, readers! I hope you've all enjoyed reading as much as I had enjoyed writing this story. There will be additional chapters after this just to "unlock" a few secrets hidden in throughout the story (actually it's more like a series of side stories explaning things that I have not explained properly). So, thank you again for all of your comments! I have a lot of work in school lately, so my next stories are all on hold for now. But, I am planning on writing more ZoLu fics... I'm looking forward to writing for all of you again!

-

* * *

-

The group of people hiding behind the bushes froze, watching Luffy's wrath suddenly morph into affection.

"Oh my!" Kaya gasped and put a hand over her mouth when the black haired boy planted his lips on the green haired man's mouth with an air of confidence. Usopp stared in shock for a while and then grinned wryly. So, he was right about Zoro after all…

The peeping group observed as Zoro and Luffy shared yet another kiss. Kaya flushed pink and glanced at Usopp shyly before turning her attention back on the new couple. This was... quite unexpected! A small smile spread across the doctor's face as the initial shock started to ebb away. Luffy looked so happy...

Robin knelt near the bushes and smiled calmly. What an interesting day she was having so far… She glanced towards her black haired friend and congratulated him silently.

"Yes! Finally!" Nami whispered in excitement, peering over the bushes. At last, Zoro had someone who loved him back. Sanji was crouched right beside her, watching the two males intently.

"What do you think will happen now?" He muttered to the orange haired girl.

"We…" Nami smirked and whipped out a disposable camera from her pocket. "Take pictures!"

-

* * *


	11. SS: Under the Floorboard

* * *

**Side Story: Under the Floorboard**

* * *

Nami pushed a square table towards the corner of her opening restaurant. She wiped off a bead of sweat and smiled proudly, taking in the work that she had done. Finally! All the tables and chairs were set up. The walls were painted, plates and utensils had been ordered... all they needed now were menus. And food, of course. She patted her hands and started walking towards the kitchen, looking for the blonde haired cook for help. One of the boards she stepped on creaked and clunked.

The orange haired girl stopped in her footsteps and blinked. It sounded hollow... She peered down at the floorboard curiously. Nami stomped her foot down on the board again. It clunked hollowly. Suddenly, memories flooded into her mind. The old woman who had sold them this place had come from down there! The girl crouched down, inspecting the floorboard. There was a hole where someone could stick a finger in and pull the board up... She gulped nervously.

"S-Sanji-kun...?!" Nami called. The blonde haired man immediately popped out from the kitchen.

"Yes, Nami-swaaan?" He smiled goofily. She pointed down at the floorboard.

"Eh... could you open this for me...?"

"Anything for you, Nami-swan!" Sanji jumped forwards and squatted down, staring at the hole curiously. He looked up at her in realization. "Isn't this where that old hag...?"

Nami nodded wordlessly, staring at the floorboard carefully. Sanji pulled on his necktie anxiously. That old hag had come up from there... did he want to know what it looked like down there...? He shook his head furiously. No way in hell did he want to know! But... Nami-san had requested him to open the hidden door so...

The blonde haired cook forced a shaky finger into the hole of the floorboard. And then, effortlessly, he flung the floorboard up and jumped back quickly, watching the square hole warily. Would something crawl out? Ugh! That would be disgusting! _I hope there won't be bugs down there_... His mouth frowned in distaste.

The orange haired girl seemed to be sharing the same thought. _There might be cobwebs down there_..._! And spiders!_ Her face almost turned into a shade of blue as she stepped back in disgust.

"So..." Sanji forced a smile onto his face. "Now what...?"

Nami stared at him fearfully. "I'm not sure... maybe we should check what's in there...?"

Sanji gulped. He didn't like that answer. "I guess..."

They stood there silently, staring at the square hole. The cook slowly took a step closer and peered down into the hole.

It was dark. Very dark...

"So...?" Nami asked as the man stepped back shakily. "What does it look like?"

Sanji scowled. "It's too dark in there to tell..."

The orange haired girl shivered. What was that old hag doing down in such a dark place?!

"Eh... Sanji-kun..." Even if she might endanger the blonde haired cook, she had to make sure that whatever was down there didn't disturb her customers when they opened the restaurant! "Why don't you go and check what's it like down there...?"

"Wha—?" He spluttered in surprise and spun around to stare at the orange haired girl in astonishment. She ran off to the kitchen and then came back with something in her hands.

"Take a flashlight." Nami smiled, handing Sanji a small blue flashlight. The blonde haired man held it in his hands, staring stupidly at the orange haired girl. She smiled sweetly back at him. "Please? Sanji-kun...?"

The blonde haired cook smiled back and nodded. "Of course, Nami-san..." Then, he turned around shakily and stared down at the dark hole in the ground. He said he would do it... so... he should do it. Sanji gathered up his courage, first sucking in a deep breath and then letting it out quickly. Then, he aimed the head of the flashlight with resolution at the dark square hole in the floor. With a quick flick of his thumb, light shot out of the portable torch, illuminating the bottom of the dark hole.

No cobwebs...

No crawling bugs...

Sanji relaxed slightly as he shone the light into the dark hole in the floor. It looked pretty clean actually... and there was a ladder leading down from the floor.

"How is it, Sanji-kun?"

The man smirked and gave the orange haired girl a thumbs up. He heard Nami sigh in relief and walk over slowly. They both peered into the hole curiously and then looked up at each other.

"I guess I can go check it out..." Sanji shrugged.

"Yeah, why don't you?" Nami nodded and slapped him on the shoulder. "Good luck down there, soldier."

The blonde haired man grinned and saluted the girl before jumping into the hole. He landed smoothly and glanced around him. Despite the light pouring through the hole above him, it was still pretty dark. He could see many shadows in the darkness though. Sanji's eyes furrowed in worry and shot the flashlight in front of him. He took a step back in shock.

Nami stared into the hole after the cook had jumped in. What happened? What was down there? Why wasn't Sanji saying anything?! She tapped her foot impatiently and peered into the hole again.

"Sanji-kun?"

"Come take a look at this, Nami-san!" She heard his excited voice rise from the secret trapdoor. "Jump in, I'll catch you!"

The orange haired girl stared blankly into the hole. "No way." Who knows where he would touch her when he caught her.

"You would rather climb down the ladder and risk me seeing your underwear, then?" She heard his teasing voice echo from the hole. Nami blushed and glanced down at the skirt she was wearing.

"Then don't look..." The orange haired girl mumbled irritably and jumped in, holding her skirt down. She bent her knees as she landed and stood up straight again, glancing around in the darkness. Where was Sanji...? His presence was nowhere near her...

"Wait right there, Nami-san!" The orange haired girl heard the cook's voice come from her right. She scowled in annoyance. He could at least leave the flashlight on, right? Wouldn't it be easier to see down here?

Suddenly, part of the room sprang into light, blinding her for a moment. When her vision cleared, she gasped at the sight.

Different colored glass bottles lay lined up along shelves circled around the room. Turquoise, blood red, orange, sea blue, deep purple, amber… The light bounced along each bottle, shining the transparent colors onto the wall behind each shelf. In the middle of the circle of shelves stood a small wooden table and a music box sat unopened on top. Sanji stepped up next to Nami and grinned.

"Absolutely beautiful, isn't it...?"

"It's very pretty..." The orange haired girl smiled as she took in the sight.

"Like you."

Nami turned to stare at the blond haired man in surprise. The man didn't seem to react to her sudden attention directed towards him. He was just standing there casually with his hands in his pockets. It had been almost a whisper... Did he even say it?

"I remember..." Sanji smirked and jogged towards the middle of the room, where the music box lay. "A musician and an artist lived in this house a few years ago. They were married and they played a very beautiful song at their wedding..." He knelt down next to the music box and smiled at it.

Nami stared at him wordlessly. What was he trying to say?

Sanji peeked over his shoulder and excitedly gestured for her to come closer. The girl rolled her eyes and stepped forward, kneeling next to him. She stared at the music box in interest. It was a spectacular music box. The cover was decorated with polished shells in a pattern of two doves dancing together. The wood of the music box was also polished so that it shone in a glossiness, showing off its fiery amber color, and a border—that was seemingly lined in gold—wove around the edges of the box. Sanji reached to wind up a small crank at the side of the box and then he grinned at Nami.

"Listen..." Sanji put his hand on the cover and smiled, his eyes glowing in delight. Nami stared at him in awe. Where had all this sudden childish curiosity come from...? The blonde haired cook was almost... cute. Sanji pushed open the cover of the music box and a soft melody floated over the room, tinkling like glass. The two of them knelt in front of the music box, entranced by the calming tune. Then, they eyed each other and smiled in agreement.

This would be their secret...!

* * *

**END.**

On the next SS, personally meet the mail carrier of the Merry Post Office...!

And if there are any additional side stories you would like me to write, please tell me so. Hehe.


	12. SS: The Postman

* * *

**Side Story: The Postman**

* * *

Hello, let me introduce myself. I am one of the mail carriers of the Merry Post Office. Yes, me. Den Den Mushi. As you already know... I... carry... the mail. Yes, it's quite a tiring job, you know? Shooting off into the sky takes a lot of work, especially for over seas mail... and then there's that disappearing business—oh, don't get me started on that...! Takes years of practice...

Well... maybe not years

... but it does take time to learn.

And to make the popping noise _juuuuust_ right as you disappear... Whoo! Hard business there.

Anyway, you're not here to listen to me ramble on and on about how I carry my mail... You're here to learn where the hell I came from! And why the hell I'm working for the Merry Post Office!

Now, one thing you must understand is that Raftel is an island with grassy meadows and a few hills and mountains. Yes, it's **not** _all_ town! Incredible, ehhhh...?

Yes, now let's imagine yourself _outside_ of town. _Away_ from the Merry Post Office, _away_ from all those buildings and townspeople... You are out... _in the wilderness_! There are grassy meadows... a few... butterflies flitting around (they're pretty ditsy sometimes, you know...?) and some rocky mountains looming around in front of you. That's where I and the other den den mushi live! Pretty, eh? Yeah... smell the fresh flowers yet? Or maybe just the grass? You know, sometimes when it rains, the ground gets all muddy. Back then, we were so dirty, you don't even want to know! Some of us would even turn brown after they dried off...

So... why is it that an itty bitty little snail like me from the wilderness works for the Merry Post Office? Well, simple! They give us... good food. Mmm... I know. Horrible people! Bribing us with food and making us slave away, sending letters all over the world... but what can I say? That coffee is damn good. And the tea... and cake... You guys all agree, right? Oh oh! Hear that? All of us agree here!

So don't feel ashamed of using us as mail carriers! Yes, those people sitting in the booths there. I'm talking to you. Don't feel ashamed!

Yeah, we're hiding behind the wall right now. Those _ding!_ noises you hear whenever someone slips a letter in? _That's us. _Yes, that's us sitting behind there, munching away at snacks, waiting for letters to come. Sometimes when we get bored, we practice our voices together, too. Listen to this.

_Ding!_

_ding! ding! ding!_

See? Amazing, eh? We den den mushi all practice together to get the sounds exactly the same way. Listen again...

_Ding!_

Ha ha! I'm good aren't I? Hey, Den Den Mushi there! You give it a try!

_Dung!_

Oh... uh, don't mind him. He needs more practice... A newbie.

Wha? What? A letter? For me? Oh... it's to that dojo near here, huh?

_Ding!_

I'm on it! Leave it to me!

And here I go. To the cannon! Hey... wait a minute... you guys already opened the box... Hey, wait! Save me some chocolates! Oi, newbie! Stop hogging it all!

* * *

**END.**

On the next SS, we shall find out what happened with Luffy's dojo and why Luffy doesn't hang his name outside the dojo like most people do!


End file.
